A Reason To My Madness
by CookiesCream333
Summary: AN: I'm discontinuing this story and rewriting it into a story called Love & Death.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS!**

**AN: The first couple chapters will be sort of bad and rushed but bear with me. I hope you like it.**

** -CookiesCream333**

_"And suddenly you know: It's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings."_

_ -Meister Eckhart_

**Prologue**

A woman sat patiently on her bed waiting to see her child for the very first time.

She was usually a tall elegant woman with shiny raven black hair probably in some sort of fancy updo, perfect posture, high cheekbones, rosey red cheeks, long black eyelashes framing her lively green eyes, and pale pink lips covered in blood-red lipstick.

But after 2 hours of labour her shiny hair was dull and down. Lively eyes tired. Color stuck out of her face. Slouching... But it was all worth it. All worth it for her precious baby.

BOOM!

The door flew open. In came a man with coal-black eyes gleaming with concern.

"Rosalia! The nurse finally let me in. Are you okay? Where's the baby? What's its gender? What are we going to name it? When-"

"Shhhhh,_ caro_." Rosalia whispered. "I'm fine. The baby is with the nurse. It's a girl. At least that what the nurse told me. I have the perfect name for the baby.

He leaned down as she told him the name.

"That _is_ perfect." He grinned.

Rosalia bit her lip.

"We ran into a bit of... complications."

"Like what?"

The nurse walked in with a tiny pink bundle.

"I'll tell you later." She murmured.

The nurse handed Rosalia the bundled. She peered down and saw a pale pink bald face with green eyes just like her own.

"She adorable." The man said.

Th baby cooed and tugged on one of her mother's long locks of hair.

"What's her name?" The nurse asked.

Rosalia looked up from her baby and smiled.

"_Jazmine di Piante."_


	2. Stranger Danger

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS**

_"No great discovery was ever made without a bold guess."_

_ -Issac Newton_

**Chapter 1**

"Ready or not, here I come!"

A girl with jade-green scoured the hotel looking for a certain black-eyed boy.

"Niiiiiiico! Where arrrrrrre you?" She shouted gleefully.

There was faint giggling and a tuft of black hair sticking out from behind the couch. The girl ran over to the couch and tapped the Nico's head.

"I found you!" She giggled.

The Nico got up from behind the couch and pouted.

"You cheated, Jaz! I told you to count 'til 20 and you counted to 10!" He yelled.

"Nuh huh." she said.

"Uh huh."

"Nuh huh!"

"UH HUH!"

"NUH HUH!"

"UH HUH!"

"Wanna go play Myth-O-Magic?"

Nico stared blankly at her and then: "You bet! Race you to the hotel room!"

** Jazmine's POV**

After 2 minutes of pushing, shoving, running, and screaming we finally got to the hotel room 236.

"I'm so going to win." I said while Nico fumbled out his hotel card."I just got the new shiny Artemis card. She has soo much attack points. Plus, she gets to summon wolves and hunters!"

Nico swiped the hotel card through the thing on the door. "Pssshhh. Artemis isn't _that_ powerful. I got her a week ago. You can't even summon the hunters without having the hunters card and sacrificing 50 energy! Totally unfair!"

We burst in the room.

"Bianca! Bianca! I just got the awesome new Artemis card. I'll let you use her if you play with...us?" I ended uncertainly.

There was a balding man in a fancy satin suit talking to Bianca.

"Bianca? Who's the weird guy?" I asked while Nico studied "the weird guy."

"Jazmine!" Bianca snapped.

I winced. Bianca only calls me Jazmine when I'm being really rude, in trouble, or spilled chocolate cake on the duke of England's suit.

"This is Mr..." Bianca paused.

"Dodds." said.

" Mr. Dodds is checking us out of the hotel and enrolling us in Westomer-"

"Westover." he corrected.

"-Westover Hall Military School." Bianca finished.

"Military School?" Nico gasped. "That means I get to show off my awesome ninja fighting skill!"

Nico hopped around the room doing really bad cartwheels and punches.

"That not how you do ninja moves, Nico! It's like this." I did a high kick and landed on my butt.

We both dissolve into giggles.

Mr. Dodds stared at us with no expression before saying: "Miss di Piante, I'm only checking out Miss and Mister di Angelo. You're staying here."

Nico, who was in the middle of doing a *cough**cough* terrible*cough* cartwheel, dropped on the floor surprised. Bianca's eyes widened comically.

"What!?" I screamed. "Nononono! I'm coming! There's got to be a mistake."

"You can't leave her behind!"Bianca protest and switches into Italian like every other time she's angry or flustered. "_Lei é il nostro migliore amico! Praticamente la nostro sorella!"*_

Nico and I join in, yelling at him in Italian. Soon he has three angry children screaming their faces off at him.

"Okay! Okay! Miss di Piante may come!" He shouts.

That's how I ended up in a limo with Bianca and Nico going to Westover Hall.

* * *

Word of advice: Even how much your sister begs you, do NOT go to a dance when you're only been at the school for a week. I learned that the hard way.

Right now I'm huddled in a corner talking to Nico about Myth-O-Magic. I mean, that's not the bad thing. The bad thing is everyone is pointing a me and my siblings (technically they're not my sibling but they're really close to me) and whispering things. That and so far about 30 guys asked Bianca and I to dance. We said no 30 times. I'm ten! I don't dance. I remember this time I was a this ball and some guy ask me to dance then I said yes. We ended up or _I_ ended up embarrassing myself by crashing into the cake and he...he did something. That's weird. I don't remember.

"Jaz? Hello!" Nico snapped his fingers in my face and pulled me out of LaLa Land.

"What?" I said.

"You sort of glazed over when I mentioned Hypnos. That's cool. Maybe that word is a taboo that makes people fall asleep! Hypnos! Hypnos!" Nico looks at me and B and says something very slowly like if we don't know English. "Are you dreaming?"

Bianca rolls her eyes playfully than closes them. "Yeeessss."

"Yes! Bianca's asleep! How 'bout you Jaz!" Nico ask me.

I pinched myself.

"Nope." I said popping the p.

"Awww." Nico sighed. "It didn't work."

"Well it's not a totally loss." I said while rubbing my hands together mischievously." Since B's asleep, let's play a prank on her!"

"Yeah!" Nico grinned.

Bianca's eyes flew open. "I'm awake!"

"Your face is priceless!" I laughed.

"I know, right. It's like this." Nico imitated Bianca but make it a looooot more dramatic by making her eyes and mouth 3 times bigger than they really were.

We all start laughing and joking so hard. Everything was perfect...

All of a sudden I felt something strange. Like an electric fish was swimming through my body. I turned around and saw four people.

One of them is Grover. Yes, enchiladas loving Grover.

Next to him is a punkish girl dressed in black ripped up clothes and decorated chain jewelry Bianca would disapprove of. Her electric blue eyes stoods from all the black. Everything about her screams danger!

The girl next to Danger Punk (that's what I nicknamed her) is more of a princess. Her honey blond curls were up in a ponytail. She reminds me of a California girl. Except her eyes. They're like scaring angry storm clouds. I don't like scary angry stormy. That's it! I'll call her Princess Stormy.

She seems to be talking to a guy. What some girls will call a _hot_ guy. He had black, black hair that matches Danger Punk's hair. Now that I think about it matches Bianca's and Nico's hair! Weird. He looks like any other guy except... He's pretty fit. Not like those football players here at Westover Hall (I bet their muscles are fake) but like a swimmer. Lean. His eyes, like the other girls, stand out. A lot. His eyes are a calm sea-green. That's good thing. He's now called Captain Green.

All of them (except Grover) have a strong aura. It's weird but I can _sense_ it.

Nico nudges me. "Who are they?" he whispered.

"I don't know. Bianca?" I replied.

"They're not students here. That's for sure." she said still in awe.

We gaped at them a longer until Bianca started talking.

"Stop it! This is rude! We shouldn't stare."

"Yes Ma'am." Nico and I said in unison.

We turned around and started talking. A little later Bianca goes away to discard her punch, leaving Nico and I behind. While Nico and I were talking someone tapped on my shoulder. Will these boys ever get the message!? I. DO. NOT. DANCE!

"Will you danc-"

"No." I interrupted without turning around. "This is my final answer. Find a social life that DOESN'T involve me! I don't care with you crawl in a hole and die. Go away!"

The nerve of these people. I'm **not **interested.

"Jaz?" Nico said, looking over my shoulder.

"Yes?" I answered impatient, still angry at these annoying people.

"Turn around."

I turned around and instantly regreted my words. A french man with with angry multicolored eyes glared at me for rejecting him. Dr. Thorn!

"I usually ask the new student for a dance. Since your friend-"He gestures over to Bianca's the direction." -is getting some refreshments I thought I could ask you. I guess you're busy."

"Oh no. I'm sorry!" I apologized."It's just that-"

"Great! Let's dance." Dr. Thorn said and grabs my hands.

This was utterly humiliating. Dancing with a teacher! My social life is over. Not that I had one. We started dancing a very,very,very weird waltz. It's hard to do a traditional dance while listening to rock music. I saw Nico taking imaginary pictures with his imaginary camera.

"I'll send you the pics!" he mouthed before snickering.

I growl before pulling Dr. Thorn over to Nico. I let get of one of Dr. Thorn's hand and grabbed one of Nico's hands.

"What are you doing?" Nico hissed.

"Dancing." I replied nonchalantly but insides I'm dying of laughter.

Before long we "pick up" Bianca and start dancing like we're doing Ring Around A Rosie. I started laughing at Bianca's expression. Then soon everyone (but Dr. Thorn) starts laughing. He starts leading us to the exit but I really don't care. As soon as he pushes us forcefully out the door, he pins us against the wall. The transformation begins. Slowly he turns into something with a spiky tail, claws, and paws. 350 attack points, 130 defense, 600 mana, and 60 bonus points. I remembered. A manticore.

"Hello children."

* * *

**Nico's POV**

Thorn grabbed Jaz's hood in one hand and held on to my neck in the other hand so we wouldn't run away. He told Bianca if she tried to do anything, he would hurt one of us.

Jeez, this guy's grip is hard. Thorn was blocking most of my oxygen to my head. I can barely think straight. One second we were in the building. The next second we were outside. The next next second he let go and Percy Jackson came. Sadly the next next next second Percy lost the battle and my oxygen supply was blocked again.

When we got to the cliff Thorn finally let go. I was silently gasping for air while Jaz was rubbing the spot on her neck where the jacket left a mark.

Thorn started talking about the Great Stirring but I wasn't listening. I could tell Jaz, Bianca, and Percy were listening. I only talked when I asked where we were going and when Thorn insulted Myth-O-Magic.

BAM!

Something slammed into us. We all fell down. Unfortunately we all fell down on Jaz. I heard her head hit the floor with a painful CRACK!

* * *

**Jaz's POV**

I felt everyone tumble on top of me. My head hit the ground first with a sickening CRACK! I blacked out immediately.

* * *

_The sensation of waking up, standing with your eyes already open is weird. Where am I? I was standing in a white elegant bare room that had a black curtain cutting it off from the other room. The room was sort of like a hospital room but fancier._

_All of a sudden I moved forward. My legs didn't move. Nothing moved. I just floated forward. I went straight through the black curtain like a ghost. The room on the other side was exactly like the previous room but it was bigger with black columns supporting the roof and...and there was something or someone wearing a black giant cloak in the center of the room. I floated forward a bit more._

_The person got up and slowly started trudging toward me. Thump. Thump. Thump. It got closer and closer. Its cloak and hood started to melt off. Like someone poured oil on it and the oil was slowly, slowly dripping off. Drip. Drip. Drip. It was about 20 feet in front of way the cloak disapeared._

_I saw dead black flesh hanging off legs, arms, and torso. The left shoulder clawed off. Blood trickling. It decorated in fine jewels. I bet my heart rate sped up ten times faster than normal. It was like a very gory skeleton. Its eyes were hollow and empty. It was just a pit of nothing. The skin near the chest was ripped off. Blood was spilling everywhere. Veins and arteries were showing. But that wasn't the scary thing. In the place where the heart is supposed to be is a black ball of energy. In was churning and sucking all the light and happiness out of the room. It was 10 feet away._

_"Merge." It whispered._

_Its mouth didn't even move. It's like something else said it. The word echoed the room. Merge. Merge. Merge._

_"Merge." It said a little louder._

_It was 8 feet away._

_"Merge!" It was a little louder this time._

_7 feet away._

_"Merge!"_

_6 feet_

_**"MERGE!"**_

_It leaped. Its bloody hand was one millimeter away from my face, ready to claw me to death. I-_

* * *

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

I leaped off the cot. The sudden movement made my head dizzy. I fell to the ground on my knees. Head in my hand, I groaned.

"Thee shouldn't have moved."

I looked up. There was a person sort of resembling a Persian princess. She was holding a bottle of some golden liquid and was looking at me with a concern look on her face. She kneeled down and check my head.

"Thee got quite the bump on thy head." she said weirdly.

"Me got quite the bump on thigh head?" I repeated. "My thigh isn't on my head and 'Me got?' I thought _I_ had bad grammar."

She shook her head and rolled her eyes in a sisterly way.

"Come. My lady wants to speak to thou." she got up and started walking away.

"Thou?" I said dumbly.

Since I had no choice, I followed her. We were in some sort of campsite. There were tents and campfires everywhere. More importantly there were a bunch of girls from age 8-16. I saw a bunch of girls my age playing hide-and-seek.

"Can I play with them, later?" I ask the girl hopefully.

"It depends." She said.

"What's your name?" I said getting curious about her.

"Zoë Nightshade." she answered.

"Woah. That's a pretty name. Zoë Nightshade." I said sort of jealous of her name.

Zoë flashed me warm smile and kept walking.

"What is thou name?"

"Jazmine di Piante." I said, ignoring the thou.

"Lovely." she answered.

"How come you're all sliver?" I noticed.

"Thy will know later." she said simply but ominously.

She went in the giant silver tent in the middle of camp.

I felt nervous for some reason. I took a deep breath and went in.

The inside was beautiful but I was more interested in why I was here. Bianca and some girl were already in the tent talking. The girl looked at me.

"Ah, Jazmine di Piante. I have to ask you a very important question."

I backed up. "Woah, how do you know my name and who are you? Are you some sort of stalker?"

Bianca looked at me like I was crazy.

"Jaz," she started."This is Artemis."

I gave B a quizzical look and then turned my attention 'Artemis.'

"Last name?" I asked.

"I have no last name." Artemis replied. "Sit. I have much to explain."

* * *

"Cool! I'm actually a demigod! How much attack points do I have!" I said, feeling lighthearted. "OMG! A week ago I had the Artemis card and now I'm actually meeting_ THE _Artemis. THE Artemis! AWESOME!"

Artemis gave a feebly smile.

"I have something else to ask you." she said. "Would you two like the join The Hunt."

I think my heart stopped beating for a second. This day is getting better and better. A minute ago I was a demigod and now I have the chance to become a demigod _AND_ a hunter?

"Are you serious?" Bianca's eyes look like they're going to pop. "This- this is so- so overwhelming."

Artemis nods her head. "It is always overwhelming. I'll give you two time to think."

Artemis looks at the entrance of the tent. "Zoë! Bring in the _boy._" she said the boy like if it was the most repulsive thing on earth.

I didn't even notice Zoë left. Zoë and Percy came in.

Everyone started talking. They sort of left me out. I start thinking about the good things about being a hunter

**Upside**

Immorality

More Sisters

See Goddess

Hunt

Have Fun

**Downside**

No Camp Half-Blood

No boys

Have To Move A Lot

Never Had Reason To Hate Boys

Want To Grow Up A Bit

The up and downsides were even. Now, I'm not sure if I want be a hunter.

"Have you made your decision?"

"Huh?" I say intelligently.

"I'll ask Bianca first." Artemis tells me.

She looked at Bianca.

"Do you, Bianca Di Angelo, want to become a hunter? If you do repeat this vow." Artemis said the vow.

Bianca takes a deep breath.

"Yes. I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men, accept maidenhood, and join the Hunt."

Artemis smiles. "I accept."

A sliver glow shrouds Bianca for a split second then disappears.

_Nnnnooooooo!_ I think. What_ if I don't join? How are we going to be friends when we're so far away from each other?_

Apparently I'm not the only one who's disappointed. Percy looks like someone kicked his puppy. Then ran over it. Then burned it. Then dropped its ashes down a pit of doom.

Artemis looked back at me. "Do you, Jazmine di Piante, want to become a hunter? If you do repeat the vow."

"Don't." Percy whispers, barely audible.

"Quiet, male." Zoë said now hostile to Percy.

The way Zoë spoke to Percy woke something up in me. I don't want ignore and be mean to boys. I don't want to do that to Percy and Nico. Nico!

"Where's Nico!" I asked alarmed.

Artemis and Zoë looked unsatisfied at my answer.

"The boy?" Zoë said distastefully. "He's showing the satyr that stupid childish card game."

I bite my tongue to make I don't start screaming at her. No one makes fun of Nico or Myth-O-Magic!

"Where is he going?" I ask.

"To Camp Half-Blood. Where all the silly males go to." Zoë responds.

My heart burns with anger. I made my decision.

"I guess I'm apart of the silly males, now." I say.

"What?" Bianca said competely surprised like she expected me to abandoned Nico. "Why?"

Everyone in the room besides Percy looks dejected. He looked like I just brought his puppy make to life.

"I want to grow up. At least until I'm twelve or thirteen. I also never had the reason to hate males. I never experienced heart-break before. How can I say no to something if I never tried it. You always said that, Bianca. How could you? Why are you breaking your own rule?" I questioned.

"I want this. I want to become a hunter." Bianca murmurs, trying her best not to look me in the eyes.

"And leave Nico?" I whispered.

Bianca looked like she's going to cry.

"Enough." Artemis said saving Bianca. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes." I breathed.

"Well, once you grow up a bit and experience boys you'll want to accept this offer." Artemis handed me a glowing silver card. "Think about it."

I gingerly took the card and tucked it in the front pocket of my jeans. Then, without another word, I ran out of the tent, looking for Nico. Two things repeated over and over in my head.

_No eternal maiden. **No Bianca.**_


	3. Tears, Tears, And More Tears

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS**

**AN: Please review, comment, or do something so I know how is the story coming. I feel like I'm just writing and nobody's reading.**

**-CookiesCream333**

_Previously_...** In Chapter 4**

_No Bianca. No eternal maiden._

**Chapter 5**

**Nico's POV**

"You see," I explain. "If Zeus decides to use the Master Bolt which uses up 500 energy and deals 700 damage, Ares can use Shield Effect and block 300 damage and still survive."

"I don't get it." Grover says with his eyebrows knitting together.

"Grrooover!" I whine. "I explained it about 6 times already."

"But that's weird. Zeus's lightning bolt can blast through anything. No measly shield can can that. Plus, Ares shield is metal which acts like a conductor for lightning, so wouldn't the damage be twice as strong? And why would Zeus want to hurt Ares? I'm mean he's annoying but not "I want to blast you into smithereens" annoying." Grover says still confused.

"Nevermind." I groan. "Why can't people understand Myth-O-Magic like me and Jaz?"

Right when I say her name, Jaz comes running to me like if she practiced it. She jogs right up to me and hugs me with all her might.

"C-can't breath." I choke out.

"Sorry." she murmurs and lets go.

"Why so huggy and emotional? What happened? Where's B?" As soon as I mention Bianca, Jaz's eyes gets all watery and she hugs me again.

"A-a-artym-mes a-as-sk u-us m-may-d-den f-for-foreber!P-pers-siany p-p-per-rson m-m-eeaan!M-me n-noo. BBBIIIAANNCCCAAA!" she stutters.

The only thing I understood was Persiany Person and BBBIIIAANNCCCAAA! I see Percy walk by looking glum.

"Ppppsssssss. Percy!" I whisper.

Percy heard his names and looks around. He spots me and ranting Jaz.

_What's going on?_ I mouth.

Percy walks over to us, gently pries Jaz off of me, and keels down so they're now face to face.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asks softly.

"BBBBIIIAAANNNCCAAAAAAAA!" she cries.

"You'll get to see her once in a while." Percy says trying his best to soothe her.

What does he mean by once in a while?

"ONCE IN A WHIILE! NOT ALWAYS!" Jaz wails and burst into tears. "H-HOW CAN SHE LEAVE ME!?"

I was getting really confuse. Bianca who was talking to a hunter sees me and Grover standing awkwardly next to Percy who was trying to calm down blubbering Jaz. She excused herself and started walking over to us.

"Ssshh." Percy murmurs and starts standing up. "Let's go see Thalia and you two can talk about horrible hunters are and how they ruined your life."

He finally noticed Bianca standing next to him.

"Oh sorry." he says without looking Bianca in the eye.

"Percy, give her to me. I can calm her down." Bianca whispers and extends her hand so she can hold on to Jaz's hand.

Percy grabs Jaz's hand and pulls Jaz away from B.

"I think you did enough damage." he mumbles but Bianca hears.

Her eyes harden a bit.

"Come on, Jaz. I'll explain why I did it." Bianca breathes.

Jaz makes a gasping sound before turning around and looking at Bianca.

"I know why you did it!" Jaz screams and chokes a bit on her saliva. "Because you're selfish! You just want to have fun and be "free." You left Nico and I in a heartbeat! How could you!? You're selfish, conceited, and mean! I NEVER, EVER want to see you AGAIN!"

Jaz turns on her heels and drags Percy away. I never seen Jaz that angry in my whole life and I knew her since we were babbling babies. She wasn't even that angry when Bianca grounded her from water slide for 2 month because she spilled chocolate cake on the duke of England's suit.

For a second Bianca's eyes wells with tears. I thought she was going to go after Jaz like always and they would both make up and be best friends again. But she didn't. B stood there blinking tears out of her eyes. Whatever B did, it was huge. I went up to her and tugged on her sleeves.

"What did you do?" I whispered.

Bianca seem to turn to stone. Sharp, dangerous stone.

"I did nothing wrong." her voice was like metal daggers. Hard and hurt.

"What did you do?" I repeated, getting worried.

"I jointed the hunters." she said bluntly.

I gasp. My confused and almost perfect world started to crash down on me because alien hunters were shooting it.

"Why?" I mumbled.

I tried my best to keep my tears in.

"So I won't," Bianca started. "have to take care of immature,-"

I winced while alien hunters kept on shooting down my perfect world.

"-stupid,-"

Aliens just ruined the Nico's Good Feelings monument.

"-whiny,-"

My heart was being ripped out.

"-untalented,-"

The Hunters destroyed my Hall of Fame.

"-stuck up,-"

The Empire Nico Building was collapsing.

"-horrible,-"

The Nico People Population went extinct.

"-selfish,-"

The Nico world was crush.

"-dependent BABIES!"

The ruins of Nico World spelled out HAHAHAHAHAHAHA IN YOUR FACE! and my heart was one more flick away until it broke.

Bianca stormed away.

I turned and looked at Grover. I realized Grover saw the whole thing. When he saw my tear-filled eyes he said:

"Oh gosh. I have to comfort you, don't I? Great, let's get this over with. Come here, Nico."

Flick! My heart broke into billions of pieces. Tears started flying out of my eyes.

"EVEN YOU THINK I'M A PAIN!" I yell.

Grover eyes widen twice their size.

"Nononono!" he says. "I didn't mean it like tha-"

"Save your breath." I snarl, feeling angry and bitter. "I'm not worth it anyways."

I run away ignoring everyone else.

**(AN: You're probably wondering why Bianca's so mean. She's just angry nobody understands that she wants freedom so she unleashes all her anger on Nico. She's actually a very nice and kind person.)**

**Thalia's POV**

I'm fuming with anger. Gggrrr. Stupid Jackson. Stupid brave Annabeth. Stupid demigods who need so much help. Stupid manticore. Stupid dance. Stupid Hunters. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

"Thalia?"

"What!?" I snap.

I can feel the person wincing. I turn around and see Jackson and the Jazmine girl. Jackson and the _crying_ Jazmine. I can't stand people crying. All my anger gets washed away like some fast-moving stream carried it off.

"What happened, sweetie?" I said asking the girl feeling soft and kind.

"Her sister joined the Hunters and left her behind." Jackson replied.

Jazmine started crying harder.

"Excuse me, but you're not "sweetie" and be sensitive. She's right here!" I said gesturing towards Jazmine.

Percy Jackson opened his mouth probably to retort but I cut him off.

"Doesn't the Bianca girl have a brother? Go comfort him. I can take care of Jaz. Besides we all know Grover isn't good at helping people feel better." I said.

Percy opens his mouth but thinks better of it. He shuts hs mouth and jogs away, no doubt looking for the di Angelo boy.

I lift Jaz on the a tree stump and sit next to her. I hold her gently and talking to her.

"Ssshhh. It's okay. If Bianca doesn't know she just left the most sweet little girl ever that's her problem." I mumbled, feeling really sappy.

"I'm not sweet." Jaz cried. "I called her mean names!"

"Well, she deserved it. You know what?" I said looking at little Jaz.

"What?" she responded weakly.

"I'll be your new sister." I said fiercely.

"Really?" she stops crying and stared up at me with her big green hopeful eyes.

"Really." I confirm.

"You know," she said. "you're a pretty good sister even though you never had a sibling before."

I suddenly remember a certain blond hair blue-eyed little boy. I feel sick and quiszy.

"Are you okay, Thalia?" I can hear the concern in her voice.

I force the quiszines down.

_Stop living in the past, Thalia._ I thought.

"Great." I said meaning it. "Especially because I have a new baby sister. Her name is Jazmine di Piante.

**Percy's POV**

I came back to the spot where Nico and Grover were.

"Where's Nico?" I ask.

"I sort of made him cry and he ran away." Grover said guiltily rubbing his arm.

"What!?" I shouted. "Groooover! Where did he go?"

"Over there." he said pointing to the lake.

Sure enough there was a silhouette of a little boy. I mumbled a thanks and jogged over the lake.

Nico was staring at the lake hugging his knees.

"Hey." I say.

His response was almost instant. "Go away."

"I know your hurt but Jaz is hurt, too. Want to go see her?" I ask.

"Later."

I sit down.

"I'll be your new brother if you that will make you feel better." I offer.

"Really?" he smiles.

I nod.

"I'll even do a brother ceremony." I said.

I manipulated the water to form the words:

Percy Jackson & Nico Di Angelo

Are Now Offical Brothers

And in smaller words:

Thalia Can Be Apart of The Family, Too.

Nico leaped to his feet.

"Let's go ask Thalia to be siblings."

I chuckle. "You go."

Nico runs off.

I follow him. I past one of the silver tent when someone calls my name in a low whisper.

"Percy!"

I turn around. It was Bianca. I open my mouth but she cuts me off.

"Just listen. Don't say anything." she says.

What is it with girls interrupting me?

"I know Jaz and Nico are really angry at me. I'll apologize to them later. They need time to cool off. Can you take care of them while I'm gone?" Bianca says quickly.

"Um..Okay?" I say intelligently.

"Promise?" she asks.

I nod.

"Thanks." Bianca hurries away.

I stand there for a second then walk away. Nearby I hear Artemis talking to Grover.

"Apollo should be coming soon. Oh there he is."

I look up and see a bright ball of light coming down.

**AN: This was a bonding moment for Thalia, Jaz, Percy, and Nico.**


	4. 10-Year-Olds Flying Cars BAD

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS**

**AN: The beginning of the story really isn't intense. It starts getting mysterious and interesting after Bianca *SPOILER**** ALERTS FOR TITAN'S CURSE* dies. Please comment, review, and all that jazz.**

**Chapter 6**

**Percy's POV**

"Apollo has sooo much attack points!"

Guess who that is?

"I still think Athena is better!" Nico retorts.

"Whatever. Let's go see Apollo!" Jaz says.

"He's in my backpack."

"Not the figurine, you dummy. Apollo Apollo. The REAL one."

"Oohhh... Race you there."

It was like the incident with Bianca never happened. Nico and Jaz were running up the hill screaming defense, attack, and bonus points at the top of their lungs. Even from down here I can hear Jaz and Nico exchanging insults.

"They're so innocent."

I jump, completely startled. Standing next to me was Thalia leaning next to a snow covered (haha) pine tree.

"Jeez, Thals. When did you develop ninja skills?" I say.

She just smirks.

"Let's go."

By the time we get to the top of the hill Jaz, Nico, and the Hunters were already in the van. Artemis was scolding Apollo for flirting with one of her hunters, probably Zoë. When Apollo spots Thalia, he grins.

"Ah, Thalia! Back to life, eh? I knew you were always a rule-breaker. Care to drive the car?" He smiles.

Thalia visibly pales.

"N-no." Thalia clears her throat. "No. Don't feel like it."

Apollo dismissed her strange behavior and peers in his car.

"Anyone care to take this baby for a jolly-ride."

It was dead silent until:

"I want to drive. "

Apollo whips around and sees Jaz and Nico both sitting in the driver's seat grinning like maniacs that just sucessfully robbed a bank.

"Okay."he says before tossing them the car keys which Nico accurately catches.

"What!?" Thalia shrieks. "You can't let a pair of ten-year olds drive a car. Especially a pair of sugar filled _demigods_ driving a _flying _car."

"I thought you were a rule-breaker." Nico says, doing a bad attempt of wiggling his eyebrows.

"I'm a rule-breaker but I'm not _insane_." Thalia scoffs.

"C'mon, Thalia. I hold the record of best driving in Race Cars 3. I can handle this." Jaz pleads, her puppy eyes getting bigger and cuter.

"Fine." Thalia says giving in."Why do kids have such big eyes?"

"It's a gift." Nico responds.

"Put the keys in Nico! I want to drive off into the sunset where rainbows and unicorns pay." Jaz bounced up and down in her seat.

"Technically," Nico starts," We're in the sun so we can't drive to the sunset. Second of all, unicorns don't exist. Third of all, don't you mean play."

"No, I meant pay. They're so sparkly and glimmer but really they're vicious. They also hurts your eyes. It's too bright. I also had a reason to hate rainbows but I don't remember why."

"You're weird."

"I've been told."

Nico finally find the keyhole. He plugs the key in the hole and engine revs to life.

"Whoopee! Start the car! Start the car!" Jaz shrieks with delight.

"The pedal's on your side, genius." Nico smirks.

"Oh. Oh yeah."

Jaz slams the foot against the accelerator with a bit too much force.

RRROOOOOOMM!

My hair flies off my face.

"Slow down!" I shout but it gets lost in the wind.

"Left!" Apollo yells. "I mean, veer left, honey. Umm... Honeys."

Nco pulls the wheel towards him. The car goes right.

"The other left." Apollo suggested.

"Niiiico!" Jaz whines. "Your on the RIGHT I'm on the LEFT. I should have pulled the wheel."

"You were to slow."

"I'm not!" Jaz insulted by being called slow, she stomps angrily.

Unfortunately she stomps right in the accelerator.

Why are the windows down? I accidentally look down. We were so high up the sky was looking black.

"Take your foot off the accelerator!" Nico yells.

"I did! Press the brake!"

Nico hits the brakes with so much force you can hear the pedals cracking.

The car stopped.

"Uh oh." Jaz and Nico say in unison.

We fell.

"AAAAHHHHHH!"

"You idiot!" Jaz roars. "Not that hard!"

Jaz jerks the wheel up. We stop falling. The bad thing was we were right on top of a small England town. The town light on fire.

"Up! Up!" Nico shouts.

"Okay. Okay."

We weny up and headed back on the right track.

"Long Island, dead ahead. Let's slow down dear ,um, dearies. 'Dead' is only an expressions." Apollo pointed.

We were a couple hundred yards away.

"Brake, Nico!"

CRACK!

Once again Nico slammed his foot so hard the brake broke. We hit the lake with a BBBAAAMMM!

"Let's do that again!" Jaz cheered.

"NO!" everyone shot down her idea.

Apollo makes three post-its appear out of nowhere. He writes on all the post-it notes and sticks two on Jaz's and Nico's forehead. He sticks the last one on the windshield.

They all say:

**DO NOT LET **

**TEN YEAR OLDS **

** DRIVE A**

** FLYING CAR**

_ - Apollo_

"I got Apollo's autograph!"


	5. Capture The - Wait Where Is It?

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIAN**

**Chapter 7**

**Jaz's POV**

"Becky?"

"Huh?" Beckendorf turns around and looks down at me.

Wow. Sometimes I think that guy is part giant. He's huge.

"When is something going to happened? Being on guard job is boring." I whine.

"Patience young padowan." I giggle and then a confused look goes on his face. "Don't you mean guard duty?"

I laugh harder.

"You said duty." Nico snickers.

"Haha." Beckendorf says rolling his eyes.

Percy looks at us.

"Can you hold the fort?"

"Of course." Nico and I reply before Beckendorf can open his mouth.

Percy runs off in the woods.

I sit there on a rock near Zeus's fist swinging my feet for a good five minutes until something happens. An arrow connected to a rope whizzes past my head and latches itself on to Zeus's Fist. Two blurs sprints past me so quickly I fall off my rock. I get up and see Zoë and Phoebe climbing up the rope faster than a cat.

"Connor! Travis! Invasion!" I shout.

I look nearby and see Connor and Travis laying on the floor, knocked out. Nico comes sprinting up to me.

"Lets go get them!"

By the time we got on top the fist Zoë, Phoebe, and Beckendorf were already fighting. Phoebe grabs the flag and turns around to jump off Zeus's Fist.

"Nooo!" Nico yells. "STICKY ROCK!"

Nico charges Phoebe. He jumps right on her. She falls backward on her back. Beckendorf finishes her off by hitting his shield against her head so hard her teeth vibrates. As Becky leans down to pry Phoebe's fingers off the flag Zoë snatches the flag and jumps off Zeus fist. I didn't even think. I jumped off the Fist, following her. Since I wasn't a Hunter I didn't land on the ground as gracefully as Zoë. Landing on my feet with a loud crack I knew I probably sprained my ankle.

No, I thought,_ A sprained ankle isn't going to stop Jazmine di Piante._

I ran after Zoë wincing every time I stepped. I was a pretty fast runner but my sprained short ten-year old legs didn't stand a chance against Zoë's long muscular runners. Every time I past under a tree's shadow I felt a little faster.

Soon I was running so fast everything was black. Strange sounds hummed in my ears. My face felt like it was getting ripped off. All of a sudden I was right behind Zoë. I leaped forward and grabbed her legs with both arms. We both fell on the ground with a sharp THUD!

I climbed right on her back and ripped the flag out of her hands. I started printing away with all my might, ignoring the constant pain in my right ankle. My victory didn't last long though.

Zoë quickly recovery and tackled me. We both fell on the forest floor again and started wrestling for the flag. Her knife was out and she was trying to grabbed the flag. During one of her attempts she accidentally cuts my cheek wide open in one fluid moments. I winced. Everything started getting blurring with tears. My ankle throbbed and my cheek felt like someone set it on fire. I blinked several times before the tears cleared up.

I grabbed my dagger Thalia gave me out of my belt and cut the flag pole in half. I let Zoë keep the bottom part but I kept the important part was the flag: the top part that had the banner. I sprinted back to Zeus's Fist. Zoë got up again and grabbed my legs, making me trip. Before I fell, I threw the flag to Nico, who was near by.

As soon as the flag made contact with Nico's hand, Percy ran into our side of the border with the Hunter's flag in hand. We won.

The whole erupted in roars of glee made by the campers. Beckendorf jogged up to me with a grin plastered on his face.

"Hey, was that so borin- Woah."

"What?" I asked.

Before he could respond I knew what was so bad. During the fight with Zoë I gained cuts, bruises, and scraps from head-to-toe. They decided to start hurting now. My sprained ankle was now broken and bending in a weird way. The cut on my cheek was on fire again. Even my hands which had nothing but dirt on them started to hurt. It felt like someone just poured a gallon of acid on them.

"I-I think you should go to the infirmary." Beckendorf stuttered.

You think? Don't you think I would gone to the infirmary if I could and knew where it was? I wanted to say but it hurt just to move a finger, much less my legs and my mouth.

Nico bounced up to us with the flag.

"Do you think they'll let us keep the flag? The way you ran was like you were morphing in the shad- Woah." Nico said before he caught sight of me.

Did I look that bad?

"JAZ! Are you okay?" Thalia said jogging up the me.

A couple campers scooped me up and laid me in a white stretcher.

Percy came a couple of moments later.

"Oh my gosh. You look like you got hit by a spiky boulder." he gaped.

Oh that's what I look like? By the way, the spiky boulder's name is also Zoë "I hate boys" Nightshade.

Thalia turned and glared at Percy.

"Why didn't you follow my plan?" Thalia thundered. "Jaz wouldn't have gotten hurt!"

"Well, I saw a golden opportunity and I went for it. I won us the game, didn't I? Besides, her wounds are nothing nectar can't heal." Percy retorted.

"Her wounds HURT!" Thalia screamed.

Well, they're still hurting so stop fighting and take me to the infirmary! Nico! Yoohoo! Aarrgg! Why doesn't anyone take me there! This sucks!

"Look! She's tearing up! We're suppose to take care of her!" Thalia says before she zapps Percy with a bolt of lightning.

"Sorry!" Thalia apologized. "I-I didn't mean to-"

Percy's face was tomato red. An icy wave from the creek doused Thalia until she was soaking wet head to toe.

"Sorry!" Percy mimics Thalia. "I didn't mean it either."

Thalia eyes are fixed on Percy like a lion ready to tear its prey apart.

"Enough!" Chiron commands but they pay him no heed.

Both of them yell taunts at each other and unshed their weapons. Before Percy could anything Thalia rammed her spear into Percy's breastplate sending a giant electric shock running through his body. Percy lands hard in his bottom but gets right back up and wills hundreds of freezing water from the creek into a massive funnel cloud.

He was about to send the water Thalia's way when he dropped all the water back into the creek. All the anger and concentration was wiped off his face and confusion, disbelief, and surprise took their place. I turn around o see what he was looking at.

It was an old, ugly, withered mummy shrouded in murky, green mist.

It turned to Zoë and asked:

"Seeker, Approach, and ask." It rasped.

"What must I do to help thy goddess?" Zoë answered without hesitation.

The mummy opened it's mouth and said:

_Five shall go west to the goddess in chains_

_One shall be lost in a land without rain_

_Two shall enter the dangerous game_

_The bane of Olympus shows the trail _

_Campers and Hunters combined prevail_

_The Titan's curse must one withstand_

_And one shall perish by a parents hand_

Before the mummy sits down it turns towards me and says:

_Careful_

And it then touched my forehead. I black out.


	6. Sneaking out

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPUS**

**AN: Please, please, please, please, pleeaase review or comment. No one reviews so ****_I_**** have to review myself and trust me it's weird. It would mean the world to me if you write a short little comment like: ****_What's up? Keep on rockin' ;)_** **or something like that. Also thank you, thank you to those of you favorite or followed me. I'm not going to write your name because you might get upset. (This is my first fanfiction.)**

** - CookiesCream333**

**Chapter 8**

**Jaz's POV**

_"Massssster, ssssshe growsssss ssssstronger everyday. Today sssssshe successsssfuly ssshadow traveled."_

Shadow - what now? Who's she? Where am I? Uh oh. It's like the dream before the Hunters' offer all over again. There's a dracaenae talking to the ground. Yep, she's a crazy one.

_"Luke is doing a good job waking up Kronosssss, Oh Powerful One."_

Master? Oh Powerful One? Who is this?

_"The oracle issssued a quesssst. They're disssccusssing the plansss right thisss sssecond."_

I know that.

_"Her parentage will attract monssssterssss like me. We mussssst make sssssure ssshe getsss to the General."_

Who's parents?

_"Sssshe's almosssst eleven now. Her cursssse sssshould sssstart acting up now."_

CURSE!? I'm no fan of curses.

_"We need to recruit her and a Child Of The Big Three and find the beassst very sssssoon."_

I'm not going to let you touch Thalia, Percy, and girl with the curse. You're not going to lay one scaly finger on them, woman!

_ "After all we need The Big Three's Children and the beast for the downfall of Olympus. The girl is needed for your awakening since she's a-"_

_. "HUSH! A little girl seems to be spying on us!" says a deep sleepy rumbling voice._

. Uh oh.

_"So ,Jazmine di Piante, you thing can spy on us? Think again._

* * *

I wake up sweating cold sweat.

"Jaz! Don't you EVER give me a scare like that again!" Someone crushes me in a bear hug that makes my ribs creak.

When the person let's go, I expect them to be Thalia, Percy, or Nico but instead it was Bianca.

She looked terrible. Her hair looked like some rats decided to use it as their personal john. Her eyes were red, wet, and puffy. Bianca's freckled cheeks are covered in wet tear tracks. Her nose looked worse than the time she and Nico spent a whole week blowing their nose in a tissue because of some cold.

"You looked horrible!" she screamed.

"You look horrible." I retort weakly but apparently she doesn't hear me.

"I thought you were going to die!" B wails.

"You worry too much. It was just a couple of bruises and a sprained ankle." I say.

"I worry too much?" Bianca gasps. "It was a BROKEN ankle. And you were covered in bruises, CUTS, AND SCRAPS. Covered in them!"

"I'm better now, right?"

"I guess." she says.

"You care about me." I well up with happiness.

"Did you think I actually think I didn't care about you? I was just joining the Hunters!" Bianca told me.

"Did you apologize to Nico?" I ask.

"More than a thousand times." B nodded.

I smile.

"I knew my sister is good person." I hug her and she hugs me back.

* * *

"Hi, Nics." I greet him as I walk in the Hermes cabin.

"Jaz! You're finally out of the infirmary! They kept you locked up for sooo long! I stayed up all night waiting for you!" Nico cries.

I raise my eyebrow. Nico's sighs.

"Fine. I just woke up 5 minutes ago. But that's not the point."

"What is the point?" I said getting impatient.

Hey, you're been spending 13, 14 hours convincing the Apollo kids to let you go, you would be cranky, too.

"Lets spy on Bianca." Nico says gleefully.

"Why?" I was genuinely confused.

Nico gave another sigh and explains the whole quest thing.

"Lets go."

* * *

We spent a good 30 minutes spying on Bianca and Zoë until they stop talking. We scoot out-of-the-way quickly. All of a sudden, Zoë's eyes narrow. She reaches for her bow like she was going to fire arrows at thin air.

"C'mon." Bianca urges Zoë," The lights in the Big house are on."

They hurry away. Nico and I got up to follow them.

"Wait."

I whirled around, grabbing my dagger out of right boot, and pointing it at the direction of the voice. Nico grabbed his tiny axe and did the same time thing as me. It was just Percy. We lowered our weapons.

"Were did you come from?" Nico ask.

We explained everything to each other.

"You were going to follow them on the quest weren't you?"

I nod guiltily.

"You can't go." Percy explains all the danger of a quest.

Yeah right. Like that would stop me. But... Bianca needs someone to keep track of her until Nico and I sneak out of camp.

"You go." I say. "You have the hat and you were going to go anyways."

"It's that obvious?" Percy says.

I nod.

"You have been ranting about wanting to find Annabeth for a while now. This is your perfect opportunity." I pause." If you do go you have to promise to protect Bianca until... Just protect Bianca."

"But-" Percy starts.

"No. You have to promise." Nico cuts in.

"Fine. I promise."

Nico and I smile.

"Go!" Nico yells and Percy starts running away. "We'll make something up for Chiron."

"And good luck!" I add.

Once Percy disappears on Blackjack, Nico turns to me.

"I have a plan to sneak out. Do you?"

I grin. "Of course."

* * *

"So did you pack everything?" I ask Nico.

"Yep." He confirmed.

"Lets go convince Mr.D to let us go." I said gesturing at the big house.

"It will be impossible." Nico said with delight.

"I know."

I knock the door to Mr. D's door.

"Come in." A grouchy voice sighs.

Nico and I carefully walk in. I put n my bright and sunny face.

"Good afternoon, Mr. D!" I smile.

"It's 2:00 in the morning." he grouches. "Stop the nice act and cut to the chase. What do you want?"

"We want to leave camp." Nico says solemnly.

"absolutely not." Mr. D scoffs.

"We thought you would say that. You want wine right?" I didn't even paused for an answer. "Well, if you let us go we, once we finish the quest we'll ask Zeus to let you drink wine for a month as a reward."

"What if you die?"

"Before we leave we'll sneak Malcolm our wills. In our wills it says you get use 500 drachmas to buy enough wine for a month and you can drink the wine. Not even Zeus dares to change people's wills."

Mr. D peers at us. "Where did you get the money?"

"We have our ways." Nico answers coldly.

It's called the wishing well. Nico fell in there. They're millions of drachmas in there. We took about a thousand.

"You may leave. Go now."

Nico and I ran out of his office and back to the Hermes Cabin.

"It's been three days since they left so we need to move quick. I got the Flying and Fast potion from the cabinet in the Big House already. Do you know where th quest people went?" I question Nico.

"Yeah. I had a dream-"

I couldn't help myself. "- that my four little children will grow up-"

"Haha." Nico smiles. "I had a dream they were heading to Hoover Dam."

"Okay. We have our stuff,-"

"Check." Nico says.

"our destination,-"

"Check,-"

"The car Aunt Sally loaned us-,"

"Check-"

"and nobody except Mr. D knows we're leaving camp."

"Che-"

"Nobody except us."

We whirl around. Connor and Travis were grinning like madmen.

"You might want to discuss your plans of leaving a little quieter." Connor suggests.

"Don't tell anyone." Nico says quickly.

"We won't." Connor replies.

"But we want to know how you're going to get to the quest people." Travis says right after his brother.

I sigh.

"We Iris Messaged Percy's mom. She agreed to let us borrow her car. She drove her car here last night and hide it outside of camp in really big bushes. Since you can't drive across the country in a couple of days we stole a potion of Flying and Fast from a cabinet in the Big House. Once we sprinkled some of the potion on the car we'll be able to fly to Hoover Dam in one or two days depending on air traffic." I told them the short version of the past three days.

"I'm impressed. You guys rigged this in three days? You have my approval to go on this little mission." Travis said.

"Mine, too." Connor adds.

"But before you go-" Travis starts.

Connor interjects,"-we would like to give you a little something-"

"-that will help you on your quest." Travis finished.

Travis pulls out a two pairs of black flying sneakers.

I raise my eyebrow.

"We heard of the sneakers-pulls-you-into-Tartarus story already."

"You don't trust us?" Connor says.

"Well, we swear on River Styx these are normal flying sneakers with no curse, spell, and/or potion what-so-ever on it." Connor and Travis says in unison.

"Thanks." Nico and I say as we grab the sneakers and pull them on.

We cast Travis and Connor one more look before we grab our backpacks and head out of camp.


	7. Remember that dream?

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS**

** AN: Thank you everyone who are reading this.**

**Chapter 9**

**Jaz's POV**

Nightmares. I hate them. I also hate daymares. Actually they all are classified as bad dreams. I hate those, too.

Once I figured out I was a demigod, bad dreams started to haunt me. It started out once a week. Than every other night. Now I had my very first half-blood daymare. It was on Day 1 of the trip at 4:00 p.m. Right after my 4th three-hour shift of driving Aunt Sally's(she insist I called her that instead of Ms. Jackson) flying blue Lexus, I passed out in the shotgun seat. This bad dream wasn't like any other bad dream. It wasn't about focused on enemies or wars or gory skeletons, it was about a person syuck in a war. A girl to be precise.

_ A girl about thirteen, fourteen year old walks stiffly through a hallway. She has peach unrealistic skin that doesn't match her dark, serious, coal-black eyes. She looked super serious and uptight. _

_ Her midnight black hair was down, straight, and neatly combed with the bangs covering part of her right eye. On the left side of her face was an eagle's feather covering a strip of hair completely. The tips of the eagle's feather are dark as night. _

_ The girl wore dark, dark blue almost black ripped jeans along with a dark, dark green T-shirt. Over her T-shirt was a black leather jacket. _

_ She wore black fingerless gloves and three rings in total. Two on her left hand and one on her right hand. I don't see the rings' details. I just know their main colors are green, black, and white. She's not wearing any nail polish and her fingernail are in need of serious attention. _

_ She's skinner than a skeleton on a diet. I don't think she's wearing any makeup._

_ Once she gets to a door at the end of the hallway she quietly opens the door, slips in, and silently closes the door behind her. The second the door closes the serious look slides right off her face and a pain-filled and grief-stricken look take its place. She sits on her green and black queen sized bed. _

_ I notice it's the only thing in the room that has color. Everything else is either white or cream-colored._

_ She puts her head in her hands and murmurs things to herself. I can only make out a couple of things._

_ "Hang on...Your're suppose to be tough... Pull it together...No flashbacks...Be strong for them... The pit...You're not a weakling. Don't listen to them...Curse... My past..."_

_ She sits there whispering things for about ten minutes before she grabs the nearest throw pillow and screams into it. She screams and screams and screams... _

_ Once she's done with her fit, the girl pulls a towel out of a cabinet on the side the room and stands in front of a full size mirror. She starts wiping her face. Soon I recognize concealer on the towel. When she took the towel away from her face I would have screamed if I could. _

_ For one thing, she was too white for her own good. She was extremely pale with a tinge of green added to her face. She looked like a ghost that just finished throwing up two minutes ago. The other thing contributing to the I-want-to-scream-meter was the scars and bruises. Scars were etched on her face like someone spent their free time carving her. Yellow and purple bruises decorated her face._

_ "I hate you, monsters." she whispered. "I hate everyone who played with me and made me suffer like this. Who made him suffer, too. I wish you would all go away. Just leave me and friends alone."_

I woke up. Nico glanced at me concerned.

"Are you okay? You have been muttering things like curses and suffering in your sleep."

"Ummm... I haven't been deeply honest about me sleeping well." I confess.

"Huh?" Nico responds smartly.

I tell him about all the dreams I've had.

"I think that girl was from the past." Nico says after I finish my story. "I mean, who talks like that? And screams in a pillow?"

"Bianca does. Thalia does, too." I name a few people.

"Well, they're old." Nico comments.

Then I remember something that makes my eyes widen. "I do! Nico di Angelo! Are you implying I'm old?"

"You said it not me." he laughs.

"Hey!" I shout trying to sound angry but I'm laughing.

I grab my pillow and hit him across his head with it.

We laugh a bit then we calm down. Silence...

"I haven't been honest either." he says.

It was my turn to be intelligent. "Eh?"

"You see... I've been having this dream over and over where Bianca gets crushed by a killer fridge."

I snort.

"That's a bad dream?" I scoffed. "Wow you're lucky."

"Noo." he whines. "Not like a mini fridge. A giant 20 feet robot collapsing with Bianca in it."

"Oh."

"But the last time I fell asleep I got a different dream. B was standing in the field of Asphodel getting judge." He explained.

Silence.

"Not all dreams are real, right?" I ask myself more than I ask him.

"Maybe." Nico whispers barely audible.

Silence. It's so quiet. This feels weird.

"Hey," I smile, "Remember that dream you had a couple weeks ago? The one when you ate so many chocolate chip cookies you turned into a fat pillow and I used you to start a pillow fight with Bianca?"

Nico laughs and finishes the dream. "And then when you smacked Bianca, pillow-me exploded and all the feathers in pillow-me turned into a bunch of Nico unicorn-fairies."

We laugh.

"Oh remember that other dream..."

* * *

"Hey Nics? Are you still awake?"

It was about 11 a.m on Day 2 of the trip.

"Mmphf?" Nico said curled up in the shotgun seat with his face in his pillow.

"What does Hoover Dam look like?"

"It's a big dam named Hoover. It's gigantic. You can't miss it." he responds a little muffled from the pillow.

"Umm...Nico?"

"What!?" he snaps grumpily.

"We're here."


	8. Dam That's Hoover Dam?

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS**

** AN: Thank you everyone who are reading this.**

**Chapter 9**

**Jaz's POV**

Nightmares. I hate them. I also hate daymares. Actually they all are classified as bad dreams. I hate those, too.

Once I figured out I was a demigod, bad dreams started to haunt me. It started out once a week. Than every other night. Now I had my very first half-blood daymare. It was on Day 1 of the trip at 4:00 p.m. Right after my 4th three-hour shift of driving Aunt Sally's(she insist I called her that instead of Ms. Jackson) flying blue Lexus, I passed out in the shotgun seat. This bad dream wasn't like any other bad dream. It wasn't about focused on enemies or wars or gory skeletons, it was about a person syuck in a war. A girl to be precise.

_ A girl about thirteen, fourteen year old walks stiffly through a hallway. She has peach unrealistic skin that doesn't match her dark, serious, coal-black eyes. She looked super serious and uptight. _

_ Her midnight black hair was down, straight, and neatly combed with the bangs covering part of her right eye. On the left side of her face was an eagle's feather covering a strip of hair completely. The tips of the eagle's feather are dark as night. _

_ The girl wore dark, dark blue almost black ripped jeans along with a dark, dark green T-shirt. Over her T-shirt was a black leather jacket. _

_ She wore black fingerless gloves and three rings in total. Two on her left hand and one on her right hand. I don't see the rings' details. I just know their main colors are green, black, and white. She's not wearing any nail polish and her fingernail are in need of serious attention. _

_ She's skinner than a skeleton on a diet. I don't think she's wearing any makeup._

_ Once she gets to a door at the end of the hallway she quietly opens the door, slips in, and silently closes the door behind her. The second the door closes the serious look slides right off her face and a pain-filled and grief-stricken look take its place. She sits on her green and black queen sized bed. _

_ I notice it's the only thing in the room that has color. Everything else is either white or cream-colored._

_ She puts her head in her hands and murmurs things to herself. I can only make out a couple of things._

_ "Hang on...Your're suppose to be tough... Pull it together...No flashbacks...Be strong for them... The pit...You're not a weakling. Don't listen to them...Curse... My past..."_

_ She sits there whispering things for about ten minutes before she grabs the nearest throw pillow and screams into it. She screams and screams and screams... _

_ Once she's done with her fit, the girl pulls a towel out of a cabinet on the side the room and stands in front of a full size mirror. She starts wiping her face. Soon I recognize concealer on the towel. When she took the towel away from her face I would have screamed if I could. _

_ For one thing, she was too white for her own good. She was extremely pale with a tinge of green added to her face. She looked like a ghost that just finished throwing up two minutes ago. The other thing contributing to the I-want-to-scream-meter was the scars and bruises. Scars were etched on her face like someone spent their free time carving her. Yellow and purple bruises decorated her face._

_ "I hate you, monsters." she whispered. "I hate everyone who played with me and made me suffer like this. Who made him suffer, too. I wish you would all go away. Just leave me and friends alone."_

I woke up. Nico glanced at me concerned.

"Are you okay? You have been muttering things like curses and suffering in your sleep."

"Ummm... I haven't been deeply honest about me sleeping well." I confess.

"Huh?" Nico responds smartly.

I tell him about all the dreams I've had.

"I think that girl was from the past." Nico says after I finish my story. "I mean, who talks like that? And screams in a pillow?"

"Bianca does. Thalia does, too." I name a few people.

"Well, they're old." Nico comments.

Then I remember something that makes my eyes widen. "I do! Nico di Angelo! Are you implying I'm old?"

"You said it not me." he laughs.

"Hey!" I shout trying to sound angry but I'm laughing.

I grab my pillow and hit him across his head with it.

We laugh a bit then we calm down. Silence...

"I haven't been honest either." he says.

It was my turn to be intelligent. "Eh?"

"You see... I've been having this dream over and over where Bianca gets crushed by a killer fridge."

I snort.

"That's a bad dream?" I scoffed. "Wow you're lucky."

"Noo." he whines. "Not like a mini fridge. A giant 20 feet robot collapsing with Bianca in it."

"Oh."

"But the last time I fell asleep I got a different dream. B was standing in the field of Asphodel getting judge." He explained.

Silence.

"Not all dreams are real, right?" I ask myself more than I ask him.

"Maybe." Nico whispers barely audible.

Silence. It's so quiet. This feels weird.

"Hey," I smile, "Remember that dream you had a couple weeks ago? The one when you ate so many chocolate chip cookies you turned into a fat pillow and I used you to start a pillow fight with Bianca?"

Nico laughs and finishes the dream. "And then when you smacked Bianca, pillow-me exploded and all the feathers in pillow-me turned into a bunch of Nico unicorn-fairies."

We laugh.

"Oh remember that other dream..."

* * *

"Hey Nics? Are you still awake?"

It was about 11 a.m on Day 2 of the trip.

"Mmphf?" Nico said curled up in the shotgun seat with his face in his pillow.

"What does Hoover Dam look like?"

"It's a big dam named Hoover. It's gigantic. You can't miss it." he responds a little muffled from the pillow.

"Umm...Nico?"

"What!?" he snaps grumpily.

"We're here."


	9. Six-Letter-Word That Can Save Your Life

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS**

**AN: Thanks for reading! :)**

_Previously ...__**In Chapter 10**_

_ Unfortunately I had daymares._

**_Chapter 11_**

**_Jaz's POV_**

_ Another dream!? Of the same person! Wow, she must be important._

_ I had another daymare about that dark girl. This time she lying in an infirmary, unconscious. I know it's mean but she looked horrible. H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E. Her smooth black hair was a harpies' nest. It should have been impossible but she was skinner and paler than last time. Her skin was the lightest shade of blue. The girl still had bruises. In fact I think she had more bruises. More on her face, some on her arms. That wasn't even the worst part._

_ She was severely injured. No wonder she was in the hospital. Her limbs were bent in a funny way. The girl's left shoulder looked like it was clawed off, than partly healed. She had stitches everywhere. Look under her arm. Stitches. Under her jaw. Lookie more stitches. Behind her elbow. Stitches, stitches, and more stitches. Percy told me demigods only get stitches when they're extremely hurt because nectar and ambrosia can't heal it that quickly. Not only that she had tons of stitches but some part of body were covered in cloth like the sight was too gruesome to look at._

_ She opened one eye. Then the other._

_ "Where am I?" _

_ I cringed. Her voice sounded like she been eating sawdust and nails all day._

_ The door opened. A tall man strode in. I didn't see his face. Once his long black hair._

_ "Where is he!?" The man demanded then he took a deep breath and calmed down a bit._

_ "I-I don't remember." she confessed._

_ "You fell. In **there**." he said bluntly._

_ She winced. Her hand shot up to her head. She pressed her hand against the temple._

_ "Ow." she whispered._

_ "You're going to get intense flashbacks and nightmares very often. Certain words, memories, images, and even sounds will trigger flashbacks and very stong emotions. You need to be careful. Those aren't even the only side-effects." he warned her. "I'm going to call your sister to bring you some where safe."_

_ "My sister?... Oh-oh yeah. I haven't seen her since the-" she faltered._

_ "Sleep." the man commanded but he added silently so the girl can't hear. "While you still can."_

My eyes snapped opened. Where am I? A car. Auntie Sally's car. I get up from the shotgun seat. It's empty.

_Thanks a lot, Perce._ I thought. You_ leave me alone in your car. In San Fransisco!_

I peer at the passenger seats.

_Not entirely alone._

Nico is curled up against the door, sleeping soundly. Nico? Soundless? Those words don't belong in the same sentence. He's always mumbling about something like "cookies" or "fat flying penguin" in his sleep. But now he's dead silent, sweating like crazy. Dead. I crawl out of my seat and not-so-smoothly move to the back seats. I trip and fall head first on the cushioned seats. Recovering, I shake Nico.

"Nics, wake up." I whisper.

He doesn't even stir.

"Nico. Get up." I say a little more urgently and shakes him forcefully.

He doesn't move.

"NICO!" I roar. "YOUR MYTH-O-MAGIC COLLECTION IS ON FIRE!"

"Whaa?" He gets up so quickly his seatbelt chokes him.

Once he sees me smirking at him, he growls.

"Haha. Almost giving me a heart attack is sooo funny." he says sarcastically.

"Everyone's missing." I inform him.

"Huh?"

"EEVVEERRYYOONNEE IISS MMIISSIINNGG!" I shout slowly, pronouncing every syllable.

"Okay. Okay. I heard you the first time. Jeez, you're paying for my hearing aids." he complains. "What I meant was did they leave a note or anything?"

I shrug.

"Well check."

Sure enough there was a note sitting on the driver's seat. Nico smiles at me smugly.

"This guy knows what he's talking about."

"That guy," I point at him. ",is going to get a nice bump on the head if he doesn't be quiet and help me read this letter. I thought Percy's dyslexic."

"He is." Nico peers at the letter. "There's no way Percy can write. Much less in cursive."

"Well you read." I said. "I don't even know what cursive is."

I flop back on the cushion seats. After two minutes Nico announced.

"The letter's from Zoë." Nico clears his throat and does a bad imitation of Zoë. " It says:

_Thee didn't have the heart to wake you. Thee at the Embatcadero Building at the docks. Wake up soon._

_ ~ Zoë Nightshade_

"- that or -"

_Knee dint'd heva the tearh to weka you up. Knee at the Ebdamtercao Biuldnig at the docks. Weka up snoo._

_ ~Zëo Nadghshite_

"Let's go with the first one."

* * *

We find the crew watching a goldfish doing a backflip into the water.

"Guys," Nico began. "Goldfishes doing backflips are really cool but shouldn't we be focusing on the quest?"

"MMOOOO!"

I turn around expecting to see a cow drowning in the water but instead I see THE MOST ADORABLE THING EVER!

"It's so cute!" I squeal.

Hey, I'm still a kid. I squat down and start petting him. He's so cute and tame yet at the same time he's wild and ferocious. I feel like I know him.

_Master._

A voice in my head! Bianca told me voices in your head is the first sign of insanity. I look around, expecting to see neon rainbow unicorns to fly out of the sky.

_ You're not insane, master._

I'm not? Who are you?

_ I'm Ophiotaurus but that not important. You're here, master._

I'm your master? I look up again and see Grover staring at me weirdly. Can he hear us?

_ Of course._

Before I can ask anymore questions Bessie gives out a frantic moo.

_ Danger! Bad people are close! _

"Yes it is, dear."

I look up. My stomach churns with humiliation and anger. Dr. Thorn.

_He wants to sacrifice me! If my entrails are burned, the person can bring down Olympus!_

I blink. That's like saying, Hey, you know my guts can be the downfall of one of the greatest civilization ever? Just saying.

_Help!_

Bessie submerged underwater. All of a sudden Grover started playing his pipes and Zoë fired fart arrows.

"Run!" Percy yelled.

I leaped to my feet and sprinted away. We hid in a stand filled with souvenir I couldn't help but admired even though we are were going to die and the world was going to end. Percy slashed a water fountain in half. He was going to make an Iris Message. Unfortunately the person who picked up to Mr. D. Thorn and his guards found us while Percy and Mr. D were "arguing."

"- You could just say please."

My ears perk up. Everyone looks like they won't even utter that six letter word to Mr. D in a millions year. I had nothing to lose.

"Mr. D I don't know what we ,half bloods, done to make you angry but I'm sorry. Please, Dionysus. Help my friends and I." I look him dead in the eyes. "Please."

I realize I just did somethings I never did before. 1) I had the guts to talk to him by myself. 2) I said please to a grown-up and actually meant it. 3) I looked Mr. D in the eye without wincing. 4) I called Mr. D by his real name.

Nothing happened. I wish Dionysus at could have saved my friends. At least I made amends. I raised my dagger ready to fight. Instead grape vines started start choking the guards. I look away. Even though those people are evil I couldn't watch them get strangled to death. Someone taps on my shoulder.

"You can look now." Nico says.

In their place were clusters of grapes growing fatter and juicer every second. We all look at Mr. D.

"I made the grapes appear but I'm not making the gr-" he falters.

He looks at me and Nico.

"I wonder..."

We stare at him for a couple more seconds until he breaks the connection.

"So... Where are we going Zoë?"

"The garden of my sisters. Home."


	10. They're Our Age

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIAN**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN STAR WARS. BY THE WAY BOTH ARE AWESOME!**

**AN: Sorry for the short chapter. Review, Comment, all that jazz. ( Get it. Jaz/Jazz?) Thanks. :)**

**Chapter 12**

**Jaz's POV**

"So you're a Hesperides. That's sooo cool. I have the Hesperides card. I never use it, though. They're a little weak. " I squeal.

"No wonder you're so pretty." Nico says in awe.

Everyone stares at Nico and Zoë has a look of disgust plastered on her face.

"I mean, she's pretty but I don't like her." Nico says putting up his hands.

"Ignoring that," Thalia says, "How are we going to get waaay up there with Bessie. Why are we even bringing Bessie to the people who want to ki- I mean, sacrifice him?"

Bessie stops in his tracks. Everyone stops and start arguin- I mean, debating what to do with Bessie.

_Master._

Huh? I kneel down and look at Bessie.

_Be careful. I know I'm leaving, soon. Protect those boys. Especially the little one._

I don't Nico appreciates being called little. Why do I have to protect him?

_He's powerful. Very powerful._

How powerful? *Gasp* Do you know you his godly parent is?

_No but I have an educated guess._

Who!? Who!?

_Goodbye master. Follow the stars._

"- It makes senses."

"Huh?" I get up and throw Nico a confused look. "What's going on?"

Nico smiles like he just won an Olympic Medal.

"For the first time ever, I'm listening and you're not."

I scowl. "Seriously, what's going on?"

"You see, Grover is going to take Bessie back to camp while we keep going."

"Oh."

"He's going right now." Nico says.

I turn around. Percy threw his coat into the bay and Grover hopped on Bessie.

"Bye Grover! Bye Bessie! See you soon!" _I hope._ I added silently.

They disappeared in the water.

"So... let's go."

Everyone starts walking to the car.

_Uh oh._

"Percy?" Nico and I ran up to hum and tugged his sleeve.

"The car is sort of... Well how do I say this... Out of gas." Nico explained.

"Out of gas? How?" Percy gasped.

I rolled my eyes at his stupidity.

"Try flying across country and NOT having to lose gas."

"Oh. Well, we'll take a detour trip to the gas station." Percy shrugs and keeps walking.

Nico and I run up to him and tugs on his sleeves again.

"That's not the point." I said. "You see we sort of changed the gas to magical gas, so we won't run out of gas during trip. But now if you put any other sort of gas in the tank, the car will ,um, explode."

Percy gaped at me and Nico. "Can't you make more magical gas?"

"It take a of couple days , Percy." Nico explained.

"We're going to have to "borrow" another car." I said, putting quotations in "borrow". "Connor and Travis taught us how to hot wire a car at camp."

"They did? What are they teaching kids thes-"

Thalia cuts in. "There is another way. Professor Chase has a car."

Who's Professor Chase? How much have I been missing? I look at Nico.

_Who's Professor Chase? _I mouth.

He shrugs.

Thalia sees me and Nico's expression.

"Professor Chase is Annabeth's dad." Thalia explains.

Oh. That Annie person that fell off a cliff.

Percy sighs. "I guess we have no choice."

* * *

"Oh," Dr. Chase said. "This is..." He stared at us blankly.

We introduced ourselves a little uneasily, but Mrs. Chase was really nice. She asked us if we were hungry. Nico and I turned our attention on the robbots the kids were playing with.

"They're our age." Nico said and then stared in awe at the robot.

The boys seemed to noticed us staring. They bounced up to us happily.

"So you're a demigod like Annie?" they asked.

I'm guessing Annie is Annabeth.

"Yep." Nico answered proudly.

"You can have our robots if you want." Bobby offered the fist-sized robots and their controls.

I gaped at him.

"No, that's probably really expensive." I said.

"No it's not. We made it ourselves. Have it. We insist." Mathew slipped the robots in our pockets.

"Nico! Jaz! C'mon." Percy yelled.

Everyone was half way up the stairs.

"Thanks!" I said hurriedly. "Bye!"

I heard Mathew whisper to Bobby.

"Wow, demigods. They're our age."

Dr. Chase's room was amazing. They were mini toy planes and solider. Nico and I were too consumed in the toys to listen to what the others were saying.

"You can borrow my car." We were off.

1 hour later...

"Jaz. Wake up." Percy shook me. "Wow you guys can fall asleep so easily "

I opened my eyes groggily.

"Welcome to the Mountain of Despair."


	11. I Carry A Heavy, Heavy Burden Literally

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIAN**

**AN: Review, Comment, and all that jazz. Thanks :)**

_Previously... _**In Chapter 12**

_"Welcome to the Mountain of Despair_

**Chapter 13**

**Jaz's POV**

"Percy? Why am I on the floor?" I asked.

I sat up and almost fell off the cliff I was on. Dr. Chase's car was laying in ruins nearby. Shrapnel pieces were everywhere. By everywhere I meant everywhere including my left leg. A couple little sharp pieces of metal were embedded deeply in my leg. Most of the pieces were already out.

"The car exploded." he explained. "You and Nico were asleep. We had to drag you guys out of the car. Thalia's shield covered us but your leg was sticking out the shield. I took most the big pieces out of your leg while you were unconscious but now I'm going to have to pull the rest out. There's only two or three pieces left."

"Why didn't I didn't even wake up?" I muttered to myself then something occurred to me. "Where's Nico?"

"Thalia's treating the scratches he got. Stay still." he warned. "I'm going to pull the last few pieces out."

He pulled one out. I stifled a scream. It felt like someone plunged a knife in me then ripped it out. Percy pulls out the last few shrapnel easy. He dribbled nectar on the wound.

"Thanks." I whispered.

"Lets find Zoë."

I got up and followed Percy, shouting Zoë's name.

"Zoë!" I yelled. "Zoë Nightsh- mmphf!"

Someone put their hand over my mouth. Uh uh. Nobody silences Jazmine di Piante. I gave the hand a giant lick.

"Ewww! Thee licked thou hand!" Zoë shrieked then quiet down. "Do thee want to wake Ladon?"

"Are we close?" Percy whispered.

"Very." Zoë responded.

Nico and Thalia walking over to us.

"We found a path to the garden."

Thalia pointed to a path that led to a beautiful garden.

* * *

"Jaz." Nico whispered. "Why are there four pretty ladies looking at us?"

Sure enough there were four girls that looked exactly like Zoë.

"The Hesperides." Thalia mumbled.

"Sisters." Zoë said stepping forward.

"We do not see any sister." One of the girls said coldly. "We see four half-bloods and a hunter. Whom shall die soon."

I clenched my jaws. Nobody is going to die. Not under my watch. I was about scream it it the girl's face but Percy beat me to it.

"You've got it wrong." he growled. "Nobody is going to die."

The girls studied him and then started talking but I didn't pay attention.

"Nico." I hissed.

"What?" he kept his eyes trained on the conversation with Hesperides.

"We gave Malcolm our will, right?"

He thought for a second. "Yeah."

"Good because -"

"LADON WAKE!" Zoë yelled.

"Run around the garden." she commanded.

"C'mon, Nics."

It was a good thing Nico and I were skinny and agile. We ran like they was no tomorrow. Let's just say we weren't big fans of big dragons with smelly breaths. We sprinted our way through trees and vines until we reached the tippy top of the mountain. Resting on the mountain was a colossal castle. Or I should say the ruins of the castle. It had no roof but there was black cold walls. This place was creepier than seeing the one of the Hermes kids dancing to Caribbean music. Nico touched the walls of the ruins.

"It's so smooth, so black, so welcoming, so homey." he murmured like he was in a trance.

Jeez, this guy has bad taste in homes. Homes were suppose to big warm, soft, airy like a field in the spring. Not like this creepy place. Nico continued to rub the wall weirdly purring.

"Nico. Snap out of it. It's probably titan magic." I clicked my fingers in front of his face. "Yoohoo! Nico! I don't think titan magic is good for your precious hea-"

Something caught my eye. Something chained up. Something silvery and glowy. Artemis.

Zoë ran up to Artemis, crying, and tugged on her chains.

"Aww. How touching."

The General. Besides him was the Luke guy and Annabeth.

"Let Annabeth go, Luke." Thalia voice had so much venom in it I'm surprise Luke didn't cower and beg for her mercy.

Luke refused to free Annabeth.

The General talked about Zoë being a traitor. Percy finally figured out the General was Atlas. Blah, blah, blah. Even was pretty boring until:

"Yes," Zoë said weakly. "Atlas is my father."

What!? No way!

Everyone continued talking while Nico and I exchanged looks.

_So what's our plan of attack? _I ask.

_Umm. Attack? _He says.

Boy, he is helpless.

_Do you want to die?_

_No!_

_Should we free Artemis, fight Atlas, fight Luke or run away?_

He better not choose the last one.

_Running way would be mean and cowardly to our friends, fighting Atlas would just be plain dumb, and Thalia should fight Luke alone, it's her battle. I gess our only choicevis to free Artemis._

Wow, he sounded sorta smart.

_Good idea._

"Now." Percy said.

Thalia ran towards Luke, Percy (stupidly) charged Atlas, Zoë lauched arrows at her father from a far (smart), and Nico and I tried to free Artemis.

"Artemis!" I screamed. "Hand me the sky!"

"No." she grunted. "A child cannot carry a burden like this."

I nearly growled at Artemis. I remember all those people who thought I was couldn't handle it.

_ "You're ten. You can plant these type of vegatables with me. Go play in the grass."_

_ "Go away. Ten-year-olds can't do these complex math problems." _

_"Sorry, you're too young." _

_"Whoops. Underaged." _

_"Immature." _

_"Weak." _

_"Small." _

_"A child."_

And what did I do to those non-believers? I roved then wrong. Horribly wrong.

"I'm NOT a child." I said firmly.

Nico sliced through Artemis's chains, clean as butter. We both kneel down and hold the sky together.

I don't know what everyone else was feeling but all I felt excruciating pain. My muscles were jelly and was slowly melting. My head was felt like a giant boulder sitting on my neck. My knees were getting crushed, sinking into the ground. My shoulders felt like someone lit them with fire. My hands hurt the most. It was like they were getting dipped in the river Styx while getting lit by GREEK fire while a hellhound was ripping it off. All I could see red. I could see the outlines of things but that's all. When Artemis got up all the pain doubled.

My brain was skipping out a lot of things. At one point Zoë, Percy, and Artemis were fighting Atlas. I blinked. Artemis was about to die. Or in her case, severely injured since she was a goddess. The next second, Zoë was flying into the rocks. Then, BAM! Artemis is throwing Atlas our way.

I see the opportunity to get out. I loosened my grip. Nico doesn't.

"N-n-nico." I rasped, mustering all of what's left of my strength. "L-let go."

"Y-yeah. G-got it." he groans.

Atlas comes hurling at us, pushing us aside. I roll. I roll like my life depends on it. Which it sort of does.

"NNOOOO!" Atlas roars so hard, the mountain shakes. "NOT AGAIN!"

I tried to stand up but I collapsed. I think I blacked out for a second because before I closed my eyes Thalia is fighting Luke and the when I opened them, Luke got pushed off the cliff and Annabeth's dad was pelting celestial bronze bullets at panicking monsters.

"In the chariot!" Artemis shouted.

I blinked. All of a sudden there's was Santa's Sleigh parked right in front of Lady Artemis.

"Huh?" My ADHD was getting worse and worse.

Thalia ran over to me and walked *cough* dragged *cough* me to the chariot.

I laid down and stared at the sky.

"Jaz?"

I rolled my head over and to see who was talking. Nico.

"You saved my life." he stared at me.

His eyes, like mine, change color depending on his mood. If he's in a good mood, his eyes are chocolate-brown. If he's has negative feelings, it's black. Pure black. My eyes are green when I'm in a happy and solid black when I'm not-so-happy. Right now his eyes are black with tiny flecks of dark brown in them.

"No prob." I whispered.

He smiles. "Only you would say "No prob." after you save someone's life."

I laugh but it quickly turns into coughing.

Jeez, my voice sounds horrible. As soon as I get back to camp I'm going to make myself a nice cup of hot lemonade with honey. That stuff works miracles. Camp... Bianca! I'm going to see Bianca! I'm going to see Bianca! I'm going to see Bianca! I chant in my head.

"Percy! Percy!" I rasped.

"Yeah?" he said.

"Wanna spent the night with Bianca, Nico, and I when we get back to Camp? We can sneak away from the Harpies. I'll convince Bianca to break the rules." I chattered excitingly.

"Pleeeaaasse?" Nico adds in helpfully.

"Bianca." he murmurs with a deep far away look in his eyes.

"Percy?" I pull him out of LaLa Land.

"Oh yeah." he pauses. "I need to talk to you guys about someth-"

"We're here!"

We landed in Crissy fields.


	12. The Star Huntress And Winter Solstice

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIAN**

**AN: You guys are the best! :) 2 reviews, 5 favorites, and 3 followers. Review, Comment, and all that jazz. :) ;) :) ;) :) ;) :) ;) :) ;) :) ;) :) ;) :)**

**Chapter 14**

Nico and I worm through the crowd to see Zoë.

Artemis tries to heal Zoë but Zoë stops her.

"Have I... served thee well?" Zoë whispers.

My eyes start stinging. Here we are, Zoë is about to die and she's concerned about others. Why is she so nice!?

"With great honor." Artemis says softly. "The finest of my attendants."

"Rest." Zoë face relaxes. "At long last."

"I could try to heal the poison, my brave one."

I knew Zoë was going to die. It was destined. The prophecy clearly stated she was going to die yet she came to safe her lady.

"Her life aura. It's fading." Nico mumbles.

No one pays attention to him.

Zoë apologizes to Thalia and praises Percy, which is a very high honor. For boys AND girls. Zoë turns her focus on Nico and I.

"Jaz. We could have been sisters, too. I thought you were being native but you were just too loyal to Nico. Don't let anyone get in the way of your happiness. Bianca would have been proud of you. I'm proud of you. You're a wonderful young women." She whispers.

Women. She called me a wonderful young women. My eyes well with tears of pride and sadness. Zoë redirects her gaze to Nico.

"You're a strong, caring, happy man. Bianca would have been proud of you, too. Same as I. I expect all of you to take care of each other."

She pauses, looks at Artemis, and then stares at the sky.

"Stars," Zoë repeats. "I can see them my lady."

"Yes, my huntress. They are beautiful tonight."

"Stars."

I know she's gone. Tears stream down my face faster than a waterfall. Thalia lowers her head, Annabeth gulps down a sob, Percy has tears threaten to spill, and even Nico is shedding tears.

"Nico." I say. "You're crying."

"N-no." he denies. "I'm shedding manly drops of water for Zoë."

Zoë's body disappears as Artemis catches the silvery smoke from Zoë. She mutters something in Ancient Greek, probably a final blessing, then releases it into the sky. Annabeth gasps. In the sky was a girl with a bow, running.

"Zoë." I choke out.

She was like my sister. We never even got to do the official sisters ceremony.

"Let the world honor you, my Huntress." Artemis says. "Live forever in the stars."

We have a moment of silence for Zoë.

"I must go to Olympus immediately." Artemis says. "I will not be able to take you, but I will send help."

I cover my eyes as Artemis flashes away. Right after that, four pegasus land. Three whites and one pure black one. I guess Nico and I are sharing a pegasus. Nico and climb aboard the horses with great difficulty (Why are horses sooo big?) while Annabeth says goodbye to her dad. After 10 minutes I fall into dreamless sleep.

* * *

I wake up.

"The winter solstice," Thalia says. "The Council of the Gods."

* * *

By the time we reach the throne room all the gods are already seated.

I sort of zone out. I already know they're not going to kill Percy and Thalia unless they want to anger Poseidon and Zeus.

I notice Percy looks sick as Artemis talks to Zeus. He thinks he's going to lose Annabeth if she becomes lieutenant. Awww. Young Love. Woah, when did I thinks these thoughts! The Aphrodite girls are corrupting me.

What really surprises me is what Artemis asks Thalia.

"Thalia," Artemis says. "Daughter of Zeus, will you join the Hunt?"

"I will." she says firmly.

All my sisters joined the Hunt. I guess I'm stuck with boys now.

After Zeus talks with Thalia, he looks at the council.

"We should get rid of the animal at least."

The animal?... Bessie!

"NO!" Percy and I shout in unison.

The gods look taken back at our outburst.

"You can't kill something so innocent just because you're scared!" Percy shouts. "It's-"

I cut in. "It's like Kronos eating his kids!"

"Dad-" Percy interjects.

"PLEASE!" we say at the same time.

Most the gods vote that Percy and Bessie live which is a great relief. The best part of the whole thing was the party.

"May I have this dance, Miss di Piante." I turn around and see Nico trying to keep his face straight.

He was dirty, ragged looking, smelly, and horribly ripped up.

"Of course, Mr. di Angelo." I said in a terribly high-pitched voice while trying my hardest not to giggle.

We decided to do a traditional waltz. We clasped hands, I put my hand on his shoulder, and he put his hand on my side. I giggled.

"That tickles, Nico." I laugh then clear my throat and return to my high-pitched british accent. "I mean, I'm terribly ticklish there, my good sir."

"Oh my dearest apologizes, Madam Jazmine." He said and held on to my elbow.

We tripped over each other and fell numerous time. After we gave up on waltzing we played with Bessie. This was probably the greatest night of my life.

* * *

It's a miracle. Nico and I got back to camp safely. In your face to people who thought it was to dangerous for me! Nico and I played with the nymphs (they seem to worship and love me to death!) until we realized we can finally talk Bianca!

"Percy!" Nico and I burst in the Big House making sure not to interrupt Mr. D who was outside enjoying his wine. (Thanks to us.)

"Where's my sister?" Nico asks.

Everyone looks at us with sympathy. The smile disappears off my face. Percy get up.

"I need to talk to you guys."


	13. Gone

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS**

**AN: Review, Comment, and all that jazz.**

_Previously_...**In Chapter 14**

_"I need to talk to you guys."_

**Chapter 15**

**Jaz's POV**

The ball of worry is growing in my stomach faster and faster every second. What does he mean by "I need to talk to you guys?" He walked us to the dining pavilon. On the way he explained.

Percy explained everything head-to-toe. He told at about the desert, the things in the junkyard. He went on and on about how Bianca saved everyone and how she was a hero. I don't want Bianca to be a hero, I want her to be healthy and alive. I want her with me. I sat down hard on the marble floor. I hugged my knees and put my head down. My hands started to hurt again.

I wanted to think Percy was playing a cruel joke on me and Nico. I wanted believe Percy would say "J.K! Bianca right over there!" any second. I wanted to believe Bianca would rush over to Nico and I and say she quit the Hunt and we're staying together forever. But deep in my heart I knew she was dead. Gone. Past away. To the Underworld. I let it sink in. I let it sink in that the closes person to a mother to me was gone. I let it sink in that one of my beloved sisters was dead. I let it sink in that one of the only people who cared about me past away. I let it sink in. I let it sink deep, deep in that one of my best friends was in the Underworld forever. Because of him. Grief and sorrow turned into anger. then into hatred. Burning hatred.

**Percy's POV**

By the time we got to pavilion Nico was paler than a sheet of paper and Jaz sat down on the ground despite the freezing tempature and buried her face in her knees. Both of them had their eyes closed, back turned, and was dead silent.

"She wanted you to have this." I took out the gifts.

There was one gift for Jaz and two gifts for Nico. Nico got a little figurine and a white skull charm that can change into a sword. Jaz got a blue-tipped eagle feather that can summon twin daggers. One dagger's white and the other one is black. They both have half a yin and yang symbol printed on it.

I carefully placed the figuring and charm in Nico's hand and placed the feather next to Jaz.

"You promised you would protect her." Nico said emotionlessly.

He might have well stabbed me in the gut with a rusty dagger.

"Nico." I said. "I tried. She gave herself up so we would live. I told her not to. But she-"

"You promised!"

Nico turned around with his eyes flaring with pain and anger. I flinched. His eyes were pure black with a glint of madness in them. They were as intimidating as Athena's harsh eyes.

"I hate you!" his voice was more poisonus than the scorpian Luke set on me.

He flung the figurine across the pavilion but held on the charm.

"Nico I tried to-" I started.

"Shut up and listen, Jackson." Jaz stood up while clutching the feather and spat my name like it was more foul than cow pie.

Her eyes resembled Hell Fire. Black as night and roaring with anger. With two pairs blazing furious eyes burning wholes into me, I looked away. If looks can kill I would be a of ash right now.

"You promised to protect Bianca. You lied to us at Hoover Dam. I trusted you with my life! I would have taken I knife for you! And how do you thank us? By getting our hopes up then crushing it like bug. You practically murdered her!" she shrieked.

I felt like someone just crushed _me._

"She might still be alive." I said desperately. "I don't know for sure-"

"She's dead." Nico's body trembled with rage.

Vines started to climb around the pavilion's pillars. It was probably Mr. D getting drunk. Shadows started reaching out to Nico and Jaz. It's getting dark. I thought.

"She's in the field of Asphodel, getting judged this very second. I can feel it." Nico whispered.

"What do you mean you can feel it?" I asked confused.

Before he could answer skeletons appeared.

"You're trying to kill us!" Nico shouted. "You're working for Luke aren't you? First Bianca, then Zoë, and now us! You're evil!"

"Nonono!" I said. "It's not what it looks lik-"

Jaz cut me off.

"We just figured out we're demigods, my friend who's practically my sister leaves us, we go on a quest, we fly across country, we carry the weight of the sky for god's sake, we watch our friend die, our "sister" who promised to be with us leaves and now our other sister dies! Can't we have _a_ moment of peace!" Jaz screams.

She clenches her hands. The vines squeeze the pillar creating long thick cracks.

She's controlling plants! I thought.

She clenches her hands until her knuckles are white as a ghost. One of the pillars explodes. Then other and other. All the pillars are in ruins. Luckily none of the debris hits us.

"Go away!" Nico bellowed, his hands pressing against the side of his head.

"Run, guys!" I shout. "Get help!"

"NO!" he yells. "Go away!"

Shadows and vines wrap around the skeletons like a cacoon, suspending them in the air. The ground ripped apart like a snapping mouth. Flames erupted from the fissure and the earth swallows the skeleton, plants, and shadows in one loud CRUNCH!

Aewstruck, I stared at Jaz and Nico. "How did you-"

"GO AWAY!" Nico screamed.

"I WISH YOU WERE DEAD!" Jaz yelled.

"I HATE YOU!" they shouted in unison.

They ran down the steps into the forest. I start sprinting after them but I slipped on Nico's figurine. I picked up the little statue. It was the last girft he ever recieved from his sister. I realized why it was so familiar. I seen this person before. It was a statue of Hades, Lord of The Dead.

**Jaz's POV**

Nico and I held hands while we ran. I didn't know his reason for holding hands but my reason was I didn't want to lose him. Everybody except him abandoned me in less than two weeks. We only have each other now. Our faces were covered in tears. Full of them. We ran faster and faster every step we took. I got that same senation I got when I was chasing Zoë during Capture the flag. Not only my hands felt like they were slowly getting cut off but I started hearing weird noises, everything started getting dark, and we were going extremely fast.

_I want to go anywhere._ I thought._ Anywhere that isn't Camp Half-Blood. Anywhere where Perseus Jackson can't find me. _


	14. King Minos

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN MCDONALDS!**

**AN: Review, Comment, and all that jazz. I love everybody who reviewed, commented, and follwed me. Thank you everyone who's reading this.**

** -CookiesCream333**

**Chapter 16**

**Jaz's POV**

I woke up with a raging headache. I laid my hand on my throbbing head.

All my memories rushed back to me faster than Nico buying Myth-O-Magic cards. Holding the sky, Bessie, Zoë dying, Professor Chase, and Bianca dying.

I felt a whole my chest. I was confused. One part of me wanted to bawl, and scream for Bianca. The other part, wanted to gut Jackson like a fish. Bianca was gone. Tears built up in my eyes. Right then and there I cried. I cried and cried and cried and cried and cried until there were no tears left but the empty feeling in my chest still lingered. Percy Jackson. Rage ran through me like a wild bull. It's his fault Bianca's gone. He promised us and then he crushed us. Jackson isn't worth my tears. He can't make me cry. I'm stronger than this. I don't need to cry. I'm older now. I'll make sure Nico and I survive to see Jackson pay. I'll make sure of it.

I wiped my tears off my face furiously. My vision cleared up. We were in a park that was waaay to quiet to be New York. I remember running so fast I transported away.

"Where am I?" I said.

"Los Angeles, my dear."

I sprang to feet while grabbing my dagger, alert.

"Calm down, child. There's nothing to be afraid of."

I turned around. Standing there or I should say hovering there was a ghost. You could barely see him unless you focus really hard. He was sort of invisible.

"What do you want with us? What are you doing here?" I said gesturing to me and Nico while hoping he didn't notice me crying like child.

"Nothing. A certain son of Hades summoned me here."

"There's no son of Hades here. It's just me and N-" I faltered.

His looks. His Underworld dreams. The skeletons. It all made sense.

"You didn't know your friend was a son of Hades? I guess you know him as well as you thought. He must not trust you that much." The ghost said plainly.

"For your information, Nico himself didn't know he was a son of Hades." I snapped, incredibly insulted that he didn't acknowledge my friendship with Nico. "By the way, I'm his best friend. I've known him since we were babies!"

He put his hands up.

"My apologies, my dear lady. I wanted to make sure the prince wasn't endangered by lowly commoners."

This guy is seriously annoying.

Nico stirred.

"Oh gosh, Jaz. I had a horrible dream that we were demigods and Bianca died and-" he yawned before opening his eyes. "- Woah, where are we?"

"L.A." I said.

"My Lord." The ghost flew over to Nico and bowed so deeply his forehead touched the ground.

"Hey?" Nico stared.

He looked at me and mouthed: _Who's the creepy ghost?_

I shrugged. He backed away slightly.

"My dearest sincere apologies, my precious Prince." I could practically see Nico's ego inflating. "I am King Minos."

"I'm Nic-" he began.

"It isn't exactly wise to tell your name to a stranger." I hissed.

I was getting really bad vibes from this guy.

"Oh," King Minos said. "I already know both of you, Nico di Angelo and Jazmine di Piante."

Stalker much?

"Well, it's really nice meeting you, King Minos but we really have to get going." I really wanted to get as far away as possible from that guy. He was practically oozing BAD.

"Go where? You already ran away from Camp Half-Blood and you're sister is gone. Might I remind you she's you're only relatives besides your godly parent?" King Minos said innocently.

He's officially a hard-core stalker.

"Who's my godly parent?" Nico asked eagerly.

Does he know my parent? I mean, parents. I don't remember a mom or a dad.

"How about my parents?" I questioned.

Minos looked at Nico. "Your mother is unknown and your father is Hades, Lord of the Underworld.

Minos turned his attention to me. "Parents unknown."

I sighed.

"So all that demigod stuff is real? Bianca's gone?" Nico stared at me sadly.

"It's real." I confirm.

"Because of that Jackson boy." Minos added.

"Percy Jackson." Nico said the name like a curse.

Bianca's gone. She was a daughter of Hades and never knew it. Something inside of me lit up. Wasn't there ways to bring back dead people? I remember the legend of Orpheus.

"Can -can we bring people back from the dead?" I asked Nico.

Nico's eyes widened.

"If monsters, gods, ghost, and titans are real then bringing people back to life must be possible." Nico said with a smile creeping up his face.

"Ahem." We turned around. I forgot Minos was still there.

"Just because Lord Hades is your father doesn't mean he'll let you bring back souls when ever you please." Minos said.

"Hey Nico can you play an instrument really, really well?" I asked thinking about Orpheus.

"I know how to play the guitar and ukulele but not reaaally good. How about you?"

"I can play piano and violin decently so no." I answered.

We thought for a second. We weren't strong as Hercules, musically-gifted as Orpheus, or magical as Houdini.

"Children." We looked at Minos. "I have an idea. A soul for a soul."

"I could exchange my soul fo-" Nico started.

"NO!" I shouted. "I need you and B. Someone else's soul."

"I know the perfect person. But before I tell you, you need to be trained. A demigod that doesn't know how to fight is dead. I coud train you." Minos said.

I was about reject his offer when Nico shot me a look.

_No one else is this willing to help us. We need him._ He said.

_That's what's so suspicious. He has some sort of evil plan for us. I feel it! _I argued.

_Jaz, do you want to die? _Grrrr. He was using my tactics against me.

_No. _I said grudgingly.

_So let him help us. A demigod that can't fight will die. _Nico said repeating Minos's words.

_Fine. _I gave in.

"We accept your offer."

* * *

All we did for the next four and a half months was eat, sleep, and train. Nico took a liking into McDonald. Apparently if you're half-god you can't get fat unless you purposely try to. Our daily schedule was like this:

6:00 a.m Wake up

6:00 - 6:05 Freshen Up (Shower, Brush Teeth, Brush Hair)

6:05 Eat breakfast

6:15 Brush teeth (Sometimes)

6:17 - 6:30 Free time before Minos Starts Training Us

6:30 - 12:00 p.m Train in Fighting (Yup, he doesn't even give us a break.)

12:00 - 12:10 Lunch And Bathroom Break

12:10 - 1:00 Sit Down Class (Reading, Reading each other, Secret Messages, History)

1:00 - 7:00 Plant Powers For Me/ Dead Powers For Nico

7:00 - 7:10 Dinner And Bathroom Break

7:10 - 8:00 Active Class (Swimming, Climbing, Running)

8:00 - 12:00 Shadow Powers For All

12:00 - 12:10 Freshen Up (Sometimes Too Tired)

12:10 - 6:00 SLEEP

Our schedule was harsh. All tha stuff doesn't even include the ten million monster attacks we get. All our classes were on the dot. We couldn't even be 0.2 seconds late. I tried. He's incredibaly annoying sometime. Sometimes I jut want to smash his head with a stick. Actually I tried once. He's ghost so he couldn't actually feel anything. That didn't stop him from punishing me. He had me do a hundred one hand push ups on each arm. I'm not kidding. That twice as usually. Right afterwards that we had too swordfight for an hour straight. He pushes own limit waay to much. His excuse is always:

"I just want what's best for my truly perfect, handsome, extraordinary, precious, skilled, and talented Prince of the Underwold... Oh, and Jaz, too. "

OR

"Will you're opponents give you a break? NO!"

I know he's trying to help but, jeez, that guy needs to take one billion chill pills.

Minos broke us some news. It was like any other day. We both rolled out of bed from our cozy alley. We got some McDonalds and went "home." Our "home" can fit in a suitcase.

"I need to return to the Underworld for a bit."

A piece of Egg McMuffin dropped out of my mouth. I didn't even bother to pick it up. Nico choked on his Mango Pineapple Smoothie. We gaped at him.

"Close your mouth! I could already see flies crawling in!" Minos said.

Our mouths snapped shut.

"I'll be back in a week to two months. Goodbye." Just like that he disappeared.

"Nico, guess what?" I said.

"What?" he responded.

"FREEDOM!"

* * *

We no longer looked like street kids. We looked like we were middle-classed. I bought a couple of black and blue jeans, white, black, green, and blue shirts, a black leather jacket , a brown winter coat, a black rain coat, and other stuff. You're probably wondering how in the world we got this stuff. Well, let's just say thank you to Thalia and the mist is AWESOME.

I stood in front of a mirror in Target, looking at my reflection. I looked a lot older then eleven. I was wearing a plain green T-shirt, a black leather jacket, dark blue skinny jeans that weren't skinny to me at all, Travis's and Connor's black winged sneakers, and the eagles's feather tied to the left side of my face covering my grey streak of hair. My eyes were a murky green. My brown golden hair was black as midnight and overgrown. My bangs covered my right eye completely. I grew a couple of inches. I even got muscles! I felt different, too. Mature, wiseish, smarter and bitter. I was still very, very angry at Percy. I'll show him what Jazmine di Piante is capable of.

"Hey."

I turned around. Nico still looked the same but he was cleaner, had new black skinny jeans which weren't skinny to him either, a black shirt and an aviator jacket. His black hair was still overgrown. His eyes were brownish - black.

"I want to visit some old friends San Fransisco." I said.

"Who?" His eyebrow arched.

I touched the fist-sized robot in my pocket.

"Bobby and Mathew." I said.

"What? No. They'll tell Annabeth and Annabeth will tell Percy." he growled Percy name.

"Don't worry. What I mean by visit is make sure they're okay."

Nico formed a mischievous smile. "Oh so you, a girl, are spying on them, boys."

"EEWW!" I shoved him playfully. "Don't be gross. I'm just making sure they haven't died yet or their house hasn't blown up. They wouldn't even know I'm there."

"Stalker!" Nico sang.

"Meet back here in two hours." I said.

"Enjoy your time with Bobby-poo and Mathew-honey." he laughsed

"Hey! I'm going to see the Golden Gate Bridge and other stuff, too!"

I listened to Nico sing Jaz and Bobby/Mathew sitting under a tree as I melt in the shadows.

* * *

_Next_ time...**In Chapter 17**

**"A trained, ssssshadow-traveler alone. Interessssting. You would be a valuable piece in Kronosss'sss Army. You can come with ussss peacefully or the hard way. You choosssse." **

**"I choose the hard way."**


	15. Kidnapped

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS**

**AN: Review, Comment, And All That Jazz. Thanks**

** -CookiesCream333**

**Chapter 17**

**Jaz's POV**

I landed in front of the Chase house.

_Good._ I thought._ The house hasn't blown up. Now lets make sure they aren't a pile of ashes._

I sneaked around the house and peeked through the windows to make sure the Chases are okay.

**Mrs. Chase: Check**

She safe in the kitchen, making some sort of delicious treat while humming something about spring.

**Bobby And Mathew: Check**

They're in the playroom looking like they haven't aged a day. They're building a giant robot.

**Mr. Chase: Check**

He's behind his computer typing furiously. When he looked up I thought he saw me. I hid. I waited a good minute before I peeked through the window again. Mr. Chase was back to typing.

**Mission Completed: Chase family (Excluding Annabeth) Are Safe**

I silently left the house. I looked at my watch. It's been 10 minutes. I have 110 minutes to spare. I shadow travel to China Town.

* * *

I just scared some Chinese babies so bad that they soiled their pants.

"Sorry." I whispered.

I wandered around for about 30 minutes and going shop to shop looking at little knickknacks and occasionally buying some stuff. I wonder what's Nico doing.

I should really, really get him something for Your-Best-Friend-Who-Saved-Your-Life-A-Billion-Times day... They don't have that holiday? That sad. They should make it.

At some Chinese store I saw the perfect thing of Nico. It was a pure black ring with jasmines vines and flowers curled around it. The old, I mean, elderly Chinese man at the counter who was in need of shaving his gigantic silvery told me it was something about friendship, something blooming, hardships, isolation, death, and other fun stuff. His accent so thick I can cut it with a knife. The guy gave it to me for free!

A couple of shops later I realized I forgot my McDonald smoothie there. I rushed back. But the shop wasn't there anymore. Instead there was a tiny but crowded bakery where the little shop standing. Weird.

I was sitting on a bench eating some egg tarts, enjoying my peace.

"AAAHHHHHH!"

I ran toward the scream. There was about five dracenae surrounding backing a girl against the wall in an alleyway.

I sliced two dracenae out-of-the-way and shadow-traveled girl and I away.

* * *

We landed on the beach of San Fransisco. I fell painfully on the sand with a THUD. The girl stood up immediately.

She's about one or two years older than me with kaleidoscope eyes and brown choppy hair.

"What just happened?" Oh, great. She doesn't even know she's a demigod. "One second I'm in China Town about to get beat up by snake ladies, then the next second a little girl saves me and transports me to the beach. I want answers!"

"Are you a tourist or resident?" I said sort of angry at the "little girl" comment.

"Tourist." she answers. "Answer my question."

"Where is your hotel?" I ask.

"Why would tell you?" she said.

"I just saved your life." I responded nonchalantly.

She sighed and told me.

"Now answer _my _question." She said.

"Sorry." I apologized.

"For what? You didn't -" she started.

I hit her so hard with the flat of my blade she shouldn't even remember the last hour.

I shadow-traveled her to her hotel, dumped her in front of her room, rang the doorbell, and shadowed-traveled away.

You're probably thinking: Why didn't you tell her she's a demigod? Well, if I told her she was a demigod, she would have to go to Camp Half-Blood. Then everyone would ask her a bunch of questions and figure out I'm in San Fransisco. Plus, I think her parent would freak out if she never came home.

I spent 20 minutes on the beach skipping rocks into the ocean and building sandcastles that kept on collapsing. Stupid castle!

"A sssshadow traveler. We haven't ssseen your kind in agesssss."

I whipped around, touching my eagle feather which summoned my blades. The three dracenae that survived the alley encounter was standing there hissing. I charge. Two of them were worse at fighting than a baby with a full diaper. Unfortunately the last one was incredibly talented. It skillfully dodged my all attacks. Grrrrr.

"A trained, sssssshadow traveler alone. Interesssssssting. You'll be a valuable piece in Kronosssss'sss Army. Join usssss. You can come with us peacccccefully or the hard way." she whispered, I mean, whissspered.

"I choose the hard way."

The dracenae let out a high-pitched shriek. About twenty hellhounds jumped out of the shadow and circled me. *Gulp* I charged. Slash, cut, stab, slice. Slash, cut, stab, slice. Slash, cut, stab, slice. I took down most of the hellhounds. I summoned vines and shadow which killed out a lot. Slash, slash, stab, cut, stab, slash, cut. I raised my dagger to finish the last one off.

BANG!

The dracenae slammed her sword against my head. I so focused on the hellhounds, I forgotten all about her.

"You are a worthy opponent." she hissed as I blacked out.

* * *

Grey. That's I saw. I was sitting in some sort of cell. I got up and tried to shadow-traveling away. Nothing happened. I tried again. Still nothing happened. Again. Nothing.

"You can't shadow travel."

I jumped a good 5 feet in the air. Two people were huddled in the corner. One boy, one girl. I could barely tell what they looked like with all the dirt and dust covering them. They both had white-blond hair, a button nose, tiny mouth, scrawny, small, and pale. The weird thing was they're eyes. The girl two had shining eyes. The right eye was icy blue and the left one was warm brown. The boy had the colored eyes but they were switched. Right eye: Brown. Left: Blue.

"Your powers and magic can't work in here. They enchanted it. The cell's special." The boy explained monotoned.

The scary thing was they didn't blink or show any expressions. They were like robots.

"Who are you?" I whispered.

"I'm Lucille-" the girl said.

"-and I'm Lucas." said the boy.

"We're the son and daughter of Khione and Hyphos." they said in unison.

"Which one of you are the child of Knione? Who's the child of Hyphos?" I asked.

"Both." Lucille answered.

"Hyphos is our father and-" Lucas said.

"-Khione is our mother." Lucille finished.

"So you're gods?" I said slightly in awe.

"No." Lucas said still expressionless.

"We're demigods." Lucille said as nonchalantly as her brother.

"I don't get it." I said confused.

"Long time ago," Lucille began breaking into a story. "Zeus made a decree that gods can't have anymore pure god babies. Many gods were upset. They didn't want demigods, they wanted real god children.

Some gods found a loophole. Can they have adult god children? Two gods will combined their part of their powers, personality, and other stuff, creating the child or children. Then they would send the kid or kids inside a mortal women.

Once the mortal women and a mortal man do "it" they would give birth to the two gods' child. The child will have four parents. Once the child turns 18, they'll become a god. They're technically an adult now, not baby. Zeus's decree said gods couldn't have god babies not adults."

I leaned forward listening intently. "Did Zeus find out?"

"Of course." Lucas said. "When he found out he was furious. He killed every single child except us."

"Wow. You guys are the only survivors." I stared.

"Yes. We're the only merges left." Lucille said blankly.

My blood froze. Merge? I remember that dream I had long ago. The one with bloody skeleton whispering that word over and over. Merge. Merge.

"Merge?" I said.

"That's what our kind is called. People who have four parents. Two gods and two mortals. Some people get Merges and Blessed mixed up." Lucas said still expressionless.

"Blessed?" I felt like I was getting dumber and dumber every minute.

"When a demigod or god gets blessed by another god. The demigod or god will turn into a god and take the other god's job when they're eighteen." Lucille said.

"Huh?" This was getting confusing.

"Take Apollo for an example." Lucas said. "He was a god with no job. Helios was fading so he blessed Apollo. When Helios faded, Apollo took his job. The same thing happened with Artemis. They're both Blessed. Merges are more dangerous than Blessed, though. Merges get angry or emotional easily. When they do, they tend to blow up the world and other stuff."

"You're not emotional." I pointed out.

"We were trained and enchanted not to feel since we were born." Lucille said plainly like she was asking what's for lunch.

"Oh." I said smartly. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Monsters figured out we're Merges. They wanted us to join Kronos's Army. We refused." Lucas said.

"Are you guys planning to esca-" I started.

"We're tired." They said in unison and promptly fell asleep.

I stared at them. They're probably the weirdest kids I have ever met. I grabbed a rock and threw it at the cell's door.

Surprisingly the door opened. Luke and his goons stepped in.

"My source tells me you're a shadow-traveler. Is it true?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes is anything else new?"

"You can play a vital role in the war. Convince Thalia to quit the Hunters and join the Titans. We know she's willing to do anything for you. Pretend to forgive Percy, be like his little sister, and then expose of him. You'll be a master assassin with those skills. You can get all the money and fame you want if you join us." Luke said trying to persuade me. "Join Kronos's Army... What you're name?"

I put my hand over my heart and faked a dramatic gasp. "I'm soooo hurt. It seems like we only met yesterday and you forgot about me." I said sarcastically.

Luke dug his brain, trying to remember me.

"Little girl? Held the sky with another boy? Does that ring a bell?" I said, getting bored.

"You're little Jaz? She's just a little sweet innocent tiny green-eyed girl. You're..." Luke trailed off.

I put my hands on my hips and stood up.

"You're really not good at persuading people." I glare at him for a bit then add sometime. "People can change."

"You're mad at the Jackson boy aren't you? You're mad at your godly parent for not claiming you. You're mad they never helped you. You can get your revenge. Money, fame, and revenge." Luke whispered.

That was a pretty good deal.

"As good as that sounds I have to say no." I stared at him directly in his eyes. "I have different goals."

"Like what?" Luke sneered.

"I wouldn't waste my breath telling you." I snapped.

"You'll change your mind." Luke growl.

He was about to slam the door in my face when one of his soldiers ran up to him.

"Sir!" the guy panted. "There's a boy dressed in black demanding to see the girl."

Luke smiled evilly.

"Oh you'll be begging to join my army after this." Luke whispered than commanded his officers. "Grab her!"

* * *

Wow. My prison is Alcatraz Island. Nice.

"Move faster, girl!" The guy poked his spear in my back.

He wouldn't dare hurt me. Luke would want his new "recruit" to perfectly healthy and safe.

"The girl has a name." I growled and move slower.

The guard sighed and muttered something about "stupid prisoners."

"What was that?" I asked innocently.

"Nothing." he mumbled.

"That's what I thought." I grinned.

We arrived in a teeny-tiny grey room. I thought Alcatraz wold be a bit more fancy. Nico, Luke, and a bunched of guards were all squeezed in the room. Nico and Like were sitting down around a brown pint-sized coffee table while everyone else stood. I pulled myself a chair and noisily sat down.

We sat there awkwardly.

"Well, Luke. Why are we here?" I asked impatiently, drumming my fingers on the table.

"I want both of you to join Kronos's Army." Luke answered.

"Well, duh." Nico rolled his eyes.

"It's not going to happen, bozo." I said. "Now will you please let me go."

"You are going to join whether or not you like it." Luke said.

I sigh. He sounds like a very annoying mom.

"Mmhm." Nico said bored. "In your dreams."

"I'm going to make my dreams reality." Faster than a heartbeat Luke got up and put his sword to Nico's neck. "If both of you won't join I guess one of you will do. Join Kronos's Army or I'll slit his throat!"

His sword inched closer to Nico's neck.

Two choices popped in my neck. Let Nico die or play THE card.

"You wouldn't dare." I said, my calm façade still up.

Luke slowly pressed the blade into Nico's neck. I could see drops of blood appearing.

"HesasonofthebigthreeIfyoukillhimyoulllosethewar." I rushed.

"What?" Luke stared at me confused.

He lowered Backbiter a bit.

"Did you say a son of the big thr-" Luke started

SMACK!

I slapped him so hard in the face my hand tingled and he spun around in circles and slammed into the wall. Ouch. That's going to leave a mark.

Nico and I took the chance and bolt out of the door, skillfully dancing through the army of guards trying to grab us. There are perks of being skinnier than a wire.

We ran faster than a cheetah.

"You can run but you can't hide!" I could imagine Luke roaring that while nursing his cheek.

Jaz:1, Luke:0.

The guards backed us up in a corner. I grabbed my blades and Nico drew his sword. I noticed something blue glowing on the side of the wall. The guards charged. I slapped the glimmering delta. I know what you're thinking. You're about to get mauled by blood-thirsty goons and you're distracted by a glowing light? Blame my ADHD. Attracted to weird things is part of the contract of being a demigod.

The wall opened up. We being sensible, ran in. The wall closed. I snickered at the thought of a bunch of people slamming into a wall.

Silence.

"Where are we?" Nico said, breaking the silence.

"I dunno. I think some sort of maze." I answered.

We wandered around looking for an exit.

"How do we get out?" Nico asked.

"I dunno." Wow, I sound like a machine.

We wandered around a bit more.

"Hey did you see that!?" Nico yelled.

There was a very familiar ghost turning the corner.

"Minos!" I yelled.

Minos turned around. For a split-second he looked disbelieved, panicked, and surprised. Then it was gone. It must be my imagination.

"Children! I've been looking everywhere for you!" his face spilt into a bright smile though the warmness didn't reach his eyes.

"I thought you were in the Underworld." Nico said suspiciously.

Finally! He gets bad feeling from this guy.

"I came back early." Minos said. "Why are you in here?"

Nico and I shared him the story. I proudly told him about how hard I slapped Kronos's future host.

"How did you find me?" I asked Nico curiously.

I mean, isn't it sort of weird if you got kidnapped and your best friend seems to know your exact location? Not that I'm complaining. It's just strange.

"Oh my GPS senses were tingling." he says.

He expects me to belive that? I give him a pointed look.

"I sort of, a little bit, kinda..." he mutters something inaudible.

"Spit it out!" I snap.

"I PUT A TRACKING POTION IN YOUR SMOOTHIE!" Nico shouted.

"What!?" I said. "I don't know what's more gross: The thought that I ate it or that I ate it and LIKED it! Do you know what's in Tracking Potions!? Trolls nails, unicorn bile, satyr hairs, ectoplasm,-"

Minos tensed up at ectoplasm. "Where did you get that?"

"Oh, nowhere." Nico responded.

"I'm soo stuffing the rest of that potion down you're throat when we get back. You're going to-" I started.

"Now, children. You can exchange life-threats later but now let's go onto more pressing matters." Minos interrupted.

"Like what?" Nico said.

"Before we make plans for the soul-for-soul thing you need to go to the Underworld-"

Nico cut him off. "We go into the Underworld every Thursday! Let's get back Bianca!"

Minos rolls eyes. "Let me finish. You going to do something you never done. Talk to Hades."


	16. Hades And The Second Opinion

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS**

**AN: You guys are the BEST! What do you think of the story? Are you excited for Blood of Olympus!? I hope Nico and Reyna have a happy life. They are so strong and they deserved a loooot. See you through the screen.**

** -CookiesCream333**

**Chapter 18**

**Jaz's POV**

Nico and Hades were having a friendly chat. At least, I hope it's a friendly chat. Apparently I'm not apart of it. Hades threw me a Visitor's Pass which I can keep and told me to take a hike.

Here I am strolling through Elysium. The only people I'm not allowed to see is Bianca, Maria di Angelo, and my mortal parent who I have no idea who he/she are! After a while I located Zoë's house. It was sort of small and cozy and of course silver. Zoë and I must have talked for hours. She was practically glowing with pride after I told her about the Star thing and Thalia being lieutenant. I was leaving when Zoë called out to me.

"Jaz?" I turned around. "I know things are hard and are going to get harder but give people a second chance and be yourself. Find your sister. Follow the stars."

I smiled and nodded. I flung the door open and practically flew to the fields of Asphodel. I know I'm not going to get lost in it with my Visitor's Pass. I sat down on a tree stump. Be myself? Give people a second chance? Find my sister? What is it with people and stars? What does that mean? Why can't people give straight answers these days? I sat on the tree for ages, pondering until a ghost came floating to me.

"Lord Hades as permitted you to return to the palace." she said clearly before hauling me away.

For someone who's dead, she's got a strong grip. She pushed me through the gates of the palace and shut the doors.

_Ookkkkaaay._ I thought._ I'm trapped in a colossal, black, creepy palace. So what's for lunch? Oh wait, I can't eat!_

I wandered around the dead (pun not intended) silent castle. I finally reached a room with huge black intimidating doors decorated with fine (still) black jewels. With all my might, I pushed open the door. Hades and Nico were in a giant shouting match.

"I WILL NOT LET YOU SUMMON YOUR FAMILY! THAT IS FIN-" Hades roared.

"THIS IS NOT FINAL! I NEVER SEEN YOU BEFORE IN MY LIFE AND NOW YOU SHOW UP!? OH WAIT, _I _SHOWED YOU! HOW COME I DON'T HAVE ANY MEMORIES BEFORE THE LOTUS HOTEL! WHY-" Nico scream.

"QUESTIONS! QUESTIONS! QUESTIONS!" Hades bellowed while rubbing his temple. "THAT'S ALL YOU LITTLE-"

"Ahem." I cleared my throat. "Sorry I ruined the family chat but Nico and I have to get going."

"Who are you?" Hades said bewildered.

"Jazime di Piante." I waited for a reaction but nothing happened."I come to the Underworld every Thursday with your son. We met a couple of hour ago, sir."

Hades looked at Nico. "She did?"

I could see Nico fighting off the urge to roll his eyes. "Yes, father she did. You gave her a visitors pass and told her to go explore the Underworld. You sent a ghost to collect her a couple minutes ago."

Silence.

"Ah, yes. I remember." Hades said after a long pause.

"Well, we better get going." I said awkwardly.

We hurried out the throne room and then out of the palace.

"Minos said to meet him at Elysium at 6:00. It's still 4:00!" Nico said looking at his watch.

"We're not leaving the Underworld." I said.

Nico threw me a lost look.

"You see, I've been reading-"

"What!?" Nico interrupted. "You have severe dyslexia! You can't read!"

"Yes I can." I said exasperated. "May I remind you I can read Italian and Ancient Greek."

"Oh yeeaah." Nico said.

"Anyways," I continued. "I read this book that talk about weapons. It mentioned something about Stygian Iron."

"I've heard of that! It's made from the Styx river and it's extremely powerful. Apparently, you can shadow travel and do other dark things if you have it." Nico paused. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

I smile.

* * *

"You dip it in without touching the river."

Nico and I dip our respective sword/twin daggers in the river.

"Leave it in there for 20 minutes." Nico read the next line in the book. "If it's even 0000000.1 second over 20 minutes, the object will explode and you will have a 50/50 chance of survivin-"

"What!?" I shrieked.

"It was your idea."

I sighed.

"Good thing we have fast reflexes." I said.

I really, really hope that book is joking.

19 minutes and 55 seconds later...

"5, 4, 3," Nico and I chanted. "2, 1!"

We pulled the sword/twin daggers out the river.

"Are we dead?" I whispered.

Nico patted my arm and leg and then felt his face.

"Nope."

"Good." I breathed.

"What time is it?" I asked Nico.

Nico checked at his watch. He looked up at me, panick clearly showing.

"7:30! Minos is going to KILL us!"

We leap to our feet and shadow-travel as fast as we can to Elysium.

Minos was tapping his foot impatiently are we melted out of the shadow, sprinting with shadows still clinging on to us.

"1 hour, 31 minutes, and 24.1325 seconds late!" Minos roared. "What in the Underworld were you doing!?"

"Making Stygian Iron?" Nico mumbled.

"Wha-nevermind. The important thing is The Plan." Minos said.

Nico and I perked up. The Plan. The Plan of getting revenge on Jackson and bringing back Bianca.

"You children are now skilled enough to stop training every minute everyday." Minos said.

"Thanks Gods." Nico smiled.

"That was TOUGH training." I said grinning like an idiot.

"The soul-for-soul exchange is easy. Track down the soul you need, release their soul, and claim Bianca." Minos explained.

"That's simply." I said. "But who are we tracking?"

"His name is Daedalus."

* * *

One Month Later...

Nico and I've through a lot. We saw monsters and humans doing terrible, terrible things. The world is a cruel place but we survived on our own.

Nico was interrogating Theseus. I sat in the corner in the graveyard absent-mindedly shuffling through my Myth-O-Magic.

I convinced Nico not to burn them all. They had a lot of good memories in them. My hand skimmed over a holographic card. I knew exactly what card it was by feeling all the tiny, tiny crinkles on it. That's how obsessed I was with Myth-O-Magic. I remember waving the card in Nico's face the day when my perfect life started falling out of balance. The Artemis Card. It left a sour taste on my tongue. She took away Zoë and Bianca. Nico told me we had to keep ALL the cards including the Artemis Card and the Hephaestus Card. Hephaestus was one of the reasons Bianca died. If he hadn't created the stupid piece of junk people call Talos, Bianca would be still standing here today. There was a strange noise humming irritatingly.

I ran my hand over every card, thinking. Merges. They sound so familiar. Something struck me. Did I have siblings? I search my brain looking for a sibling. Why couldn't I remember my past? I know I forget things sometimes but forgetting the first seven years f my life? I dug my memories so hard I almost cried in frustration. My logical part of my brain spoke up. Even if I did have a sibling, he or she would be dead or really old. Nico, Bianca, and I were stuck in the Lotus Casino for 7 decades! Wait... I can check the archives. It must say something about my family! I could figure out who were in my family and who's my godly parent! Did I have a dog? A cat? Brothers? Sisters? Younger or older? Who was my mom and dad? Did I-

"He is coming. He senses your summons." Theseus broke my trail of thoughts.

Him?... Kronos!

"Who?" Nico demanded.

I wanted to scream the titan lord's name but as everybody told me: names have power. Lots of it.

"He comes to find the source of this power." Theseus sad. "You must release us."

The humming noise I heard earlier was deafening. It roared louder than a mighty lion. Dark, grey clouds covered the whole sky. Moon, stars, and all. I could barely see anything, just faint traces of things. The whole graveyard shook so hard I could barely run to Nico. I wobbled and tripped. Strange bright purple lights shined through the cracks in the ground. I crawled over to Nico.

He was surrounded by a bunch of ghost.

"Free us, lord. Free us!" They wailed.

The ground started splitting open.

"Nico let's go! Shadow travel!" I shouted above the screams of the ghost. Nico grabbed Minos as we melted into the dark.

* * *

"What," Nico gasped. "the Thanatos just happened?"

"I don't know." I panted.

"HE sensed a lot ghosts coming out of Underworld." Minos said. "HE was suspicious. We shouldn't summoning any more ghosts."

"Yeah." I agreed.

"That was creepy." Nico said.

"Now, you've got your second opinion," Minos said. "May I explain my plan?"

"Fine," Nico grumbled. "Speak."

"There's someone who can help you two find Daedalus. His name is Geryon and he works at the Triple G Ranch in Texas. Go to him." Minos disappeared.

"I have a bad feeling about this." I told Nico.

"I do too but this is our only lead. Let's just go." Nico reasoned.

"I hate it when you're right." I mumbled.

We shadow traveled away.


	17. Triple G Ranch

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS**

**AN: You guys are so nice. The reviews are so kind. It would be nice to have more. *Hint* *Hint* Can you put some constructive critism in it, too. Thanks. Oh! I'm changing the tittle.**

** -CookiesCream333**

**Chapter 19**

**Jaz's POV**

"This sucks." I complained.

We arrived at Triple G Ranch 30 minutes ago. For 30 minutes we pestered Geryon to help us find Daedalus but each and every time he waved us off. Nico and I sat in the kitchen drinking lemonade, waiting for Geryon to finish working.

"I know." Nico moaned. "This is soo boring!"

You can't keep two ADHD demigods locked up in a kitchen.

"C'mon. Let's go look for him." I said getting off the couch.

"Thought you would never ask." Nico smiled.

We dropped off our lemonade on the coffee table, put our "business" face, (when you're eleven people don't take you serious unless you go extreme) and casually walked outside.

"Geryon," Nico said seriously. "We won't wait-"

He froze. I followed his gaze. There was a cyclops, Grover, Annabeth, and...HIM. Nico and I drew our weapons. My blood boiled. HE came. Nico and I glare wholes into HIM. Just looking at HIS face reminded me of very single little thing bad that's ever happened to me. From tripping on a pebble to losing Bianca. I growled.

"Perseus Jackson." I said icily.

HE winced slightly at his full name. I noticed nobody could stare into me and Nico's eyes.

"Put that away Mr. di Angelo and Ms. di Piante. I ain't gonna have my guest killin' each other." Geryon said talking about the weapons.

"They let my sister die!" I could feel the rage coming off of Nico.

I trembled in fury.

HE raised his hands. "We're not here to kill you. What happened to Bianca-"

"Shut up!" I snapped. "Don't speak her name! You're not worthy of even thinking of her much less talking about her!"

I let some anger flow out of me. The deafening sound of rage pounded in my ears. I couldn't speak, hear, see, or even smell for a couple of seconds. The anger died down when I hear my name.

"-and Ms. di Piante, put those filthy weapons way before I have Eurytion take it from you." Geryon said.

I was about start screaming protest but I decided against it when I saw Orthus baring his sharp, sharp teeth and Eurytion lifting his death club of doom.

Reluctantly, I unsummoned my daggers. I looked up and caught HIM staring at me and Nico. I glared at him. HE looked away.

Geryon led us to an embarrassing moo-mobile. Nico and I sat in the back so we can keep and eye on them. We came over a hill. I gasped. Hipalektryons were everywhere. I thought they were extinct. I absorbed every detail from the unique rooster tail to the horse nose.

"Once a year!" Geryon grinned. "Very much in demand for omelets!"

A new type of anger flooded over me. Annabeth was about to say something but I beat her to it.

"That's so cruel!" Everyone turned and stared at me but I ignored them. "They're already endangered and suppose to be extinct and you're selling and killing them!"

"Darlin', gold is gold." Geryon waved his hand. "Besides, you haven't tasted the omelets yet."

Omelettes my but! I wanted to scream but Nico grabbed my hand and gave me the 'calm down' look. I flopped back down on my moomoo seat feeling irritated, moody, and most of all rage.

Geryon started talking about fire-breathing horses for the upcoming war with Kronos and HE as dense as HE is, didn't figure it out.

"Here's our prized red cattle." Geryon said.

He explained to Grover they were for- for MEAT! These are sacred cows of Apollo! They're innocent and cutely dumb creatures. Here we are at a farm that's slaughtering them. I was ready to turn this guy into meat.

I got up and started to march to Geryon to punch his life out. Nico got up and forcefully pulled me back into my seat.

"Later," he hissed. "After we get Bianca we can come back here, set them free, and you can pummel Geryon all you want. But not now. We need to be on his good side."

"I'll turned his good side to omelets." I grumbled.

All through out the trip I had to watch animals being locked up when they're suppose o be running free in the wild. I resisted the urge to throw snide comments every five seconds and beat up Geryon.

Soon he stopped the moo-mobile. Nico climbed out the our cart and stormed after Geryon. I guess he didn't notice the ginormous son of Ares/cowherder follow him with a colossal spikey club.

"I came here for business and and you haven't answered me." Nico said.

Even though they were talking about vital things, I couldn't help of noticing the poor, poor creatures. I don't get how someone could do something like this. It's just wrong, horrible, unjust, selfish, mean, stupid, cruel-. Something snapped me put of my ranting.

"It's none of your business, Percy!"

Percy. Percy. Percy. That name is salt to a wound.

Geryon sighed. "Well, you see, Nico- can I call you Nico?"

"No." Nico said stonily.

My heart stopped working for a second as Geryon explained about selling us. I don't think Luke would be so happy to see the girl who have him a god-sized bruise. Nico and I redrew our weapons. Eurytion knocked it out of our hands.

Jackson made a deal with Geryon. My angry part of my brain was furious with him for not letting us solve our own problems and treating us like babies.

'He's trying to help.' The soft and nice part of my brain reasoned. He's helping you.

'Shut up!' The angry part roared.

Yep. I'm going insane.

* * *

I, Jazmine di Piante, offical hate the Triple G Ranch with all my heart. Gagging, tying up, being mean, and selling a customer is bad for your business. Plus torturing them by putting delicious, juicy barbecue ribs that they absolutely love under their nose is a big NoNo.

Nico and I couldn't travel as well because we were directly in the sun. Plus, we're tied and gagged to a giant wooden pole. That giant wooden pole also had another half-blood, satyr, and cyclops tied to it. Yes, we're powerful but not to shadow travel in broad daylight with a wooden pole and 3 other beings.

I waited for Jackson to hurry up cleaning. Even with the itchy rope and rag that tasted like stale mustard I snickered at the thought of Jackson tripping and falling into hores poo. Then tripping again and again and again and again.

Finally, he came back surprisingly clean.

While Jackson explained the story, I grudgingly admired him. A true hero. He's a true hero.

'No he's not!' One part of my brained screamed. 'He killed your sister!'

The memory returned to me. I scowled deeply earning some stares from Annabeth and Grover. Stupid Jackson. He thinks that we can fake hero and nobody will notice but nothing can get past Jazmin-

ZZZZIIPPP!

A carving knife shocked me into reality. Jackson was stabbing Geryon over and over trying to kill me. I watched helplessly as Jackson runs into the house, getting chased by Geryon. I waited for Jackson to come out. He came back. He took out his sword and cut us loose.

"Are you okay?" he said looking at the tiny cuts on my wrists from the rope.

"I'm fine, Perseus!" I snapped.

He fumbled out his canteen of nectar and was about to pour some on my wrists.

"I don't need your charity!" I growled, taking away my hands.

"Oh, yes you do." he said.

As soon as he dribbled some nectar on my wrist, I stalked away. Even though he poured nectar on it, my hands still hurt like crazy.

"Can we tie up the cowherd now?" Nico whined.

"Yeah!" Grove piped up. "That dog almost killed me."

Perseus walked over to Eurytion and started chatting. My stomach rumbled loudly. Annabeth turned and looked at me. Her gaze softened. She picked up a plate that had about ten barbecue ribs piled on it and walked over to the picnic table me and Nico were sitting at.

"Hi." she said softly. "You can have it."

She pushed the plate over to me and Nico. I stared at her suspiciously. Annabeth grabbed another plate and started eating. I waited for her to drop on the floor with her mouth foaming as she slowly started dying. She didn't. I carefully bit in one of the ribs. Sweet, tangy, and a little bit spicy. It was like I bit into Elysium. I sat there enjoy the taste before I attacked the rib again.

"Hey!" Nico said. "I want some! Stop eating, fatty!"

In about 30 seconds the ribs were demolished. Our mouths and the plate was sparkling clean. Annabeth stared at us.

"When is the last time you ate?" she questioned.

I thought for a second. "About five days ago."

She gaped at us.

After Annabeth finished eating, we got up and joined in Perseus's and Eurytion's conversation.

"-Iris message them about Jaz and Nico?" Perseus said.

"Nope. Geryon was waiting until after the barbecue. They don't know about him." Eurytion said.

I glared at him. He turned around.

"You could stay here until we're done quest. It would be safe."

"Safe?" Nico said. "What do you care if I'm safe? You got my sister killed!"

Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson are soooo nice. Why are they friends with Perseus? It's not like he's nice. They probably fell for his hero act. That Perseus is evil. Tricking people to thinking he's sweet and caring, then BAM! you're meeting Nico's dad. No wonder so many people joined the Luke and the tita-

"Let's ask Bianca."

My head snapped up. Ask Bianca? She never answers. The sky grew noticeably darker.

"We're tried." I said miserably. "She won't answer."

"Try again. I've got a feeling she'll answer with me." Perseus said.

"Why would she?"

Perseus tells us that Bianca has been sending him Iris Messages.

"Yeah right." I scoffed.

But part of me hopes it's true so Bianca will show up.

"So it's settled." Nico said. "We'll summon Bianca, tonight."

* * *

I watch Nico chant the spell.

"Look!" Annabeth pointed.

There was a blue shade kneeling down to drink from the tank.

"Stop it!" Nico paused a bit from chanting. "Only Bianca may drink!"

It was too late.

"Minos!" I snapped. "What are you doing here?"

The nerve of this ghost. We're trying to summon Bianca not him. Who in the right mind would summon Minos?

"I'm am truly sorry." he said unapologetic. "The offering was too tempting."

Minos turned and started talking to Perseus. Stupid Minos! He's interrupting the ritual!

"Begone Minos!" I said.

"Leave!" Nico said. "I want to see my sister."

"As you wish, Masters. But I warn you. You cannot trust these heroes." Minos whispered as he disappeared.

"Bianca appear!" Nico intoned.

I noticed something. A bright spirit stronger than the others came forward. I let it pass. It kneeled down and drank from the pit. Bianca came.

I gasped. ThumpThumpThumpThumpThump. My heart raced. She came! She came! I dropped my daggers in surprise. Come on she came when Perseus is here? I don't get it. I drank every detail. She looked exactly like the last time I saw her. Sliver jacket, jeans, dark eyes, black hair, green cap, and bow and arrows. Bianca. Bianca. Bianca. I nearly cried.

"Hello Percy." she whispered but her angelic voice was very clear.

What!? She said hi to him and not me!? I grew up with you. I would have started talking ad hugging Bianca but my knees felt weak and I didn't trust my voice.

"Bianca." Percy stared. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I made my own choice and I don't regret it." she said.

"Bianca!" I stumbled forward.

"Bianca." Nico said.

"You guys have gotten so tall." she said, her eyes soft but dreading.

You've gotten so tall? Bianca, you have just died. I don't care that I gotten tall. I wouldn't even care if I shrunk!

"Why didn't you answer me?" Nico cried. "'I've been trying for months."

"I was hoping you would give up."

My heart shattered into thousands of pieces.

"Give up!?" I squeaked. "We're trying to save you!"

"You can't. Don't do this, Nico. Percy is right."

"No!" Nico shouted. "He let you die. He's not your friend."

I could only nod in agreement. How can Nico even talk? My throat was like trying to swallow a giant rock.

Bianca stretch her hand out and tried to touch Nico's face but her hand evaporated near living skin.

"Forgive." she said. "Holding grudges is bad. Percy's trying to help you."

"No!" my voice sounded strangled. "He's evil!"

"I was hoping he would find you and help you." Bianca said.

"So it was you," Perseus's face was filled with realization. "You sent those Iris-Messages."

"What!?" I gasped.

"Why are helping him and not us!?" Nico shouted.

"We're your family!" I screamed, tears stinging my eyes.

"You're close to the truth now." Bianca whispered slowly getting louder. "It's not Percy, you're mad at me. It's me."

"No." Nico and I shook our heads.

I'm mad at Perseus. He let Bianca die. I forgave her a long time ago. Right?

"You're mad because I left you to become a Hunter of Artemis. You're mad because I died and left you alone. I'm sorry for that, Nico. I'm sorry for that, Jaz. I truly am. But you must overcome your anger. And stop blaming Percy for my choices. It will be your doom."

"She's right." Annabeth interrupted. "Kronos is rising. He'll twist anyone he can to his cause."

"I already said no." I said which cause everyone to give me a questioning look.

"He asked you?" Perseus's eyebrows rose.

Nico broke in before I could answer. "I don't care about Kronos. I just want my sister back."

"You can't have that, Nico." Bianca said gently.

"I'm a son of Hades! I can."

"Don't try. If you love me don't... " She faltered.

A bunch of ghost gathered around us. Danger! They hissed.

"Tartarus stirs," Bianca said. "Your power draws the attention of Kronos. The dead must return to the Underworld."

"Wait." I said desperately.

"Bianca-" Nico started.

"Goodbye Jaz. Goodbye Nico." Bianca whispered, a tear tracing down her cheek. "Remember what I said. I love you."

"I love you, too." Nico and I choked out before Bianca disappeared.


	18. Haunted

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS**

**AN: I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. I'm just swamped in homework and sports. Anyways, I would like to thank everyone who favorite, followed, and reviewed my story. I check everything. I hope you like this chapter.**

** -CookiesCream333**

**P.S In a couple days, I'm going to change the tittle to Forever And Always. **

**Chapter 20**

**Jaz's POV**

I saw black. Just black.

_This is a weird dream. _I thought.

"That's insane!" A male voice rang through the silence.

When he spoke a flash of white light ran across my dark vision.

"We _have _to help them. They're our friends!" A feminine voice whispered-yelled causing white to streak over the darkness.

"We're in our own war!" Another flash scurried across my vision. "As much as I would like to help them, we just can't leave our family stuck in an impossible war!"

"I'm not saying both of us leave. Their war is almost over. I'll go back home to make sure they win and you'll stay here and help out until I call you. Plus, I can check up on Camp-Half Blood on my way back here." Another light.

"Fine."

All of a sudden, instead of talking there was rippling sounds like pages in a book were flipping. The sound lasted for about 5 seconds. Once it settled down there was more talking. This time it was in a different setting.

"I'M NOT LEAVING YOU HERE!" A strangled voice cried out.

In the background there was a much of monsters roaring and charging.

"It's the only way." A weak voice responds. "We don't have much time. The monsters are coming. You're too injured. You won't survive."

"Yes, I will!" The voice insisted but I could hear the pain laced in it. "Come on, let's figure out a new pla- WHAT ARE YOU DOING! STOP! I'M NOT LEAVING YOU. NO. NO. NO! N-"

The rippling sound came back. Another 5 seconds later things changed.

"Sweetie, no more cookies." It sounded like a mother was trying to scold her child but I could hear the smile in her voice.

"But mooommmy." A little girl whined which caused more lights. "I haven't eaten a cookie in an hour. An HOUR! It's torture! Torture I tell you. TORTURE!"

I like this kid. She reminds me of myself.

"Now, now. Don't stain your dress. Behave. Daddy's coming home any second now and he's going to take us to our neighbor's dinner." The mom replied.

"Which one? The stuck-up LaGheds-," the girl said grumpily before changing into a happy cheerful voice, "-or the di Angelos!"

My blood froze. The di Angelos?

"The di Angelos. Be nice. Don't call people stuck-up." The mom said.

"But you know its true, mama." the girl said.

The mom was about to say something but she changed her mind. "Look! There's daddy!"

"Daddy!" The girl cheered.

"Oh look at my little Wild Night!" The man cooed. "All dressed up looking so mature and sophisticated... With a chocolate chip cookie stain? Did someone steal from Daddy's cookie jar?"

The girl giggled. "Oh Daddy! I'm doing you a favor. You'll get fat from all those cookies!"

"Well, lets go to dinner! Daddy is hungry!" he laughed.

The girl said , "Come on! Come on! I want to see Nico!"

Oh.

"I haven't seen him in two hours! Best friends and neighbors NEED to stick together!"

My.

The mother laughed and told the little girl, "Well, let's go, my little Jazmine di Piante."

GODS.

The rippling sound came and the sounds changed.

"Merge...Merge..."

An image started slowly come into focus. It was the same gory skeleton I saw so many nights ago. I saw something else that will scare most people to death.

"You failed. You got corrupted."

The skeleton was hunched over a person. It laid its hand on the person's face. The person slowly turned shriveled up and turned ashen gray. The person morphed into a demon like thing with long sharp claws. When the victim opened its eyes their eyes were pitch-black with no whites.

"You're corrupt people and yourself. You're heartless being."

For a fleeting second flesh appeared on the skeleton before it changed back to normal. The person had long brown-black hair and black murky green. The girl wasn't pale or tan. She was lean and slightly skinny. Sort of tall, red lips, weird small nose, long hands and feet. I knew this girl. I saw her all the time. I saw her every time I looked in the mirror. The skeleton was... was... Me.

All of a sudden I bunch of images started flashing by. Their were screams, hysterical sobbing, and wails. I saw everyone dying. Connor, Travis, Silena, Annabeth, Grover, Tyson, and Nico. They were dying. Dying in the most terrible, cruel, and painful way. Dying slowly. Dying. Dead... Because of me.

"You will cause their downfall."

No. No. No. The background wails got louder and louder until it was ear-piercing.

"You can't escape you fate. You bear the life of isolation and loneliness. You bear the job of worlds walker. You bear terrible luck. You bear the curse." the deep, menacing voice said over the cries of anguish.

Hot searing pain spread all over my hand. I wanted to scream but it was like someone blocked my lungs. I wanted to cry but someone robbed my tears. I wanted to move but someone chained me down. I want to move and cry and scream. Move. Cry. Scream. Move. Cry. Scream. Move. Cry. Scream. Scream. Scream! SCREAM!

* * *

**Annabeth's POV **

I stared at the ceiling. Grover and Percy took the living room. Tyson and Nico took one of the guest rooms and Jaz and I took the last room. I just couldn't fall asleep. Ever tried being a leader of an impossible quest? Not mentioning that the person you're facing is your crush (ish) and one of the other people on your quest, you also have to a crush (also ish) on, too. I need to make a plan. Daughter of Athena with no plan is a dead one.

Jaz murmured something and rolled around. Jaz... I was told Jaz was a slightly prankstertish innocent little girl with a big heart. Apparently Travis, Connor, Silena, and the nymphs and satyrs adored her. Now when I actually meet she's like a weird, distant shadowy rebel. She reminds me of myself all those years ago when I was with my "family." I remember when people looked at me with up turned nose and a look of disgust plastered on their faces. I had that same hard, cold exterior. The same dark eyes. The same rude, sarcastic attitude... But I wasn't a bad person. I just was buried so deep inside myself that almost nobody could dig me out. I was just lost. Jaz is just lost.

Jaz suddenly stopped moving. She was extremely rigid, still, and quiet. I slowly push myself off my bed and trudged across the room to her bed. Her eyes were slammed shut. Not like the peaceful closing your eyes but the squeezed shut kind. She looks like she wants to cry but her tear ducts are empty. Everything is frozen like someone pressed the pause button on her and any seconds she's going to unpause and...

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

I leap in the air almost getting a heart-attack. I expected everyone to come running in startled by the scream but no one comes. She thrashed, shrieked, and waved her arms around like if there's no tomorrow. I made a mistake of standing to close to her. Her nails dug a good centimeter in my skin. Yelping, I backed up.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" she cried, her eyes still closed.

"Jaz!" I yelled over her screams. "Calm down! It's just a dream!"

She kept on crying. A waterfall of tears ran down her face faster than rapids. I leaned forward, dodging her flying hands, and snatched her eagle feather. Underneath of the feather was a streak of gray hair from stress and holding up the Titan's curse. The moment the feather left her hair her eyes flew open and she stifled the next scream.

"Ssshhhhh." I whisper. "It's okay. Your fine."

"No I'm not." she chokes out. "It hurts."

"What hurts?" I asked concern.

"My heart. My hands." she said.

I grabbed a bottle of nectar off my nightstand and walk back to her bed, kneeling down.

"You probably scratched yourself." I said. "Let me see."

My fingertips barely brushed against her hand when I felt my fingers sting and freeze at the same time. It felt like someone connected my hand the a 100 volt outlet while draining all the heat out of my hands at the same time. Hot. Cold. Hot. Cold. I ached in pain before the feeling went away. I stared at her for a second, dumbfounded. What in the Hades just happened? What in the Hades just happened? What in the Hades just-

"Nectar." Jaz croaked.

"Oh. Sorry."

I returned her feather and dribbled some (a lot) of nectar on her hands until the pain subsided.

"Thanks." her voice was extremely hoarse.

"What happened to your hands? Why did my hands hurt when I touch your hand? What was your dream? What-" I started.

"I'm tired." Jaz said before rolling on her bed so her back was to me and she was facing the wall.

I stared at her.

"We can talk in the morning." she whispered. "Not now."

"What-" I tried again.

"Go. To. Sleep. Now." she said firmly.

I shuffled back to my bed, feeling pretty stupid getting commanded by an eleven year old. I would have pressed on the matter a bit more but the way she sounded-the way she acted, my instincts told me not to ask.

I fell asleep knowing very well that Jazmine di Piante was deep into thought, staring at the ceiling like she would do it forever. Staring at the cold white ceiling with those haunted, haunted eyes.


	19. Recoveries & Discoveries

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS**

**AN: I'm sorry I didn't updated in a long time but in my defense I was pretty busy. I hope this long chapter makes up for it. Please, please review. :)**

** -CookiesCream333**

**P.S I changed my mind and changed the story tittle to A Reason To My Madness.**

**Chapter 21**

**Jaz's POV**

"Cockadoodel- DOO!"

Annabeth groaned and stirred in her bed. I didn't move. I stared at the ceiling thinking about Bianca and the dream. What so important about Merges? Was it a sign to rescue Luke and Lucille? Why are my hands hurting? Why did Annabeth feel the stinging, too? What's so special about Percy? Sure, he's the son of the Big Three but Thalia, Bianca, and Nico are, too... Was. Bianca _was _a daughter of the Big Three. Stupid Talos. I was so absorbed in my thoughts I barely noticed Annabeth getting off her bed.

"Hey." Annabeth stretched and yawned. "We got to get go- Woah."

I ignored her and kept staring at the ceiling.

"You look- um, well, horrible."

"Thanks." I kept my focus on the ceiling.

"Did you sleep after the dream? At all?" she asked concernly.

"No." I replied.

Silence.

"Do you want to eat breakfast?" she asked awkwardly.

"Later."

Silence. Long silence. Looong silence.

"Well...I'm going to go." Annabeth shuffled out of the room and out of sight.

"You do that." I said as the door closed.

I kept staring at the ceiling. I can finally think in peace. Peace. Rest In Peace. All the emotions I kept buried for six months started to resurface. Thoughts and feelings bubbled up in me like soda, ready to explode.

Bianca, I thought tearfully, Help me. What's these dreams about? I want you to comfort me not Annabeth. What's wrong with my hands? Am I that big of a freak?

A tear rolled down my cheek.

My goal in life was to get you back. What now? I want to know what's weird dreams are about. What am I going to do? I can't go back to Camp Haf-Blood without answers but I don't know where clues to the answers but less the answers themselves. I _need_ you.

A couple of more tears streaked down my cheek. I prayed that the ghost of Bianca would come back and solve all my problems. Nothing happened.

Why didn't you answer me? Why did you only respond to Percy? I'm practically your sister. You just met him and you trust him more than me? Am I that terrible of a sister?

I choked back a sob.

Just come back. I'll do whatever you want. I'll be the best sister ever. I'll do anything to trade back our old life. Anything. Anything at all. I want you. I need you. Come back. Come back. Come back. Please.

The container of emotions burst. Tears jetted down my face faster than a starving cheetah that saw an elk. I plunged my face into the pillow, muffling the sobs. Why, Bianca? Why?

I cried. I cried harder than any other time I ever cry. Harder than the time the ram bus driver nearly took my arm off. Harder than the time the time Bianca left me and Nico. Harder than the time she died. I knew Nico and Bianca would be here and help me. I knew they would get me to the hospital when the ram guy was gone. I knew Bianca wasn't trying to be mean when she joined the Hunters of Artemis. I knew could get her back when she died... But I was wrong. I would never get her back.

Maybe once or twice a month if I was lucky I could visit her in the Underworld but it won't be the same. We would never joke around. We would never race each other to the ice cream cart. We would never have a spitting contest and she would disapprove. We would never get to watch movies in the movie theaters and get hushed at by old ladies. We never touch... Never.

I never felt so much pain. My heart felt like it was getting stuffed in a grinder. Then someone fixed it...before they smashed it. Then all sudden my heart was gone. Someone stole it and replaced it with a void of emptiness and despair. For some reason the emptiness felt worse than rage and surprisingly more than a blade across my arm.

I cried harder. Every single tear was a question or a plea for help. I sent out billions of questions and pleas for help. I just sat there crying. Crying. Crying. Crying.

I don't know how long I was there, sobbing into my pillow. Minutes, hour, days, weeks, months, or even years. I want to go home. Home. A place where I'll be safe and happy. No, elated. A place where I'll be safe and elated. A home with Bianca and Nico. Nico!

I ripped my face out of my pillow. He's Bianca's sibling, too. He's probably taking this even more horrible than I am. I locked up my feelings and put on a brave face for Nico. I hopped, more like fell, out of my bed. I grabbed the tissue box and rushed out of the room.

I know Nico and he's quite the crier. He sounds like a hundred year old cat getting dipped in the river Styx while getting eaten by a lion. I bet the whole city heard him when he lost Mr. Bruby. Man, he loved that elephant. Even though it was rainbow and falling apart. I remember all those hours we spent coloring its skin all sorts of colors. Indigo, neon pink, electric black, (didn't even know that was a color) peach purple, hot pink, blood red, scarlet-

THUMP!

I collided head first into someone.

"Ow." I groan while rubbing my head. "Watch where you're go- Woah."

It was Nico. A really messed-up Nico. He was wearing Geryon's robe which covered him and 2 feet of the floor behind him. There were dark bags outlining his onyx eyes which were rimmed with red. Sadness, confusion, worry, utter lost, and heart break were mixed it. He was so pale his face was slightly blue.

"You look terrible." we said in unison.

"Are you okay?" we said still in unison.

"Stop that!" we said at the same time.

I frowned.

"You stop." still together.

"Stop. No you stop. Okay I'll stop firs- STOP! Seriously!" we screamed.

We both stopped talking.

"Flying, gummy bear eating, rainbow, poke-a-dotted, neon, unicorns." Guess what? Still in unison.

I laugh. We're too much alike. Nico laughed. We nearly laughed our lungs out. How ironic. Thirty seconds ago I was crying off my face and now I'm laughing out my livers. We're weird people. We laughed for a good minute. (Count it. It's a lot longer than you think. One Mississippi. Two Mississippi. Three Mississippi...)

Our laughter died down. I noticed a tissue box in his hands.

"It looked like we had the same idea." Nico smiled.

"CUT! Nico!" I did a fake whine. "You're suppose to stay in your room and I'm suppose to the responsible friend that makes you happy! Oh, Nico stick to the script!"

"You know what will really make me happy?" he paused. "Breakfast."

I grinned.

* * *

After breakfast, I dragged myself outside to say goodbye to the four. Anger piled up on my chest. Bianca doesn't answer to her own (sort of) sister but to the one and only heroic, awesome, kind, kind, humble, sweet, Percy Jackson! *fake girly scream* Uggg. I wonder what Bianca saw in him.

Percy stopped talking and stared as us like if we're the walking dead. Seriously, I don't look _that _bad.

"You guys could come with us." Percy said.

And be with you? No thanks.

"I staying here. I need time to think." Nico said.

"Me too." I added quietly.

I really wanted to scream "ME TOO" but my voice just looves playing hooky.

Annabeth putted her hand on my shoulder.

"Bianca would of wanted the best for you. Both of you." her voice is soft and concern but I can't help but feel annoyed.

Nico stormed back to the house. I knew Bianca better than she knew herself. Bianca would want me to find answers. I ripped my shoulder away from Annabeth's hand.

"You never even spoke to her! You have no idea what Bianca wants." I spat. "Have fun on your absolutely fun, terrific quest of doom!"

I swiftly turned around and followed Nico back to the house.

* * *

"Keep up, Nico!" I laughed.

We were riding the flesh-eating horses Percy (sort of) tamed. Nico's horse was jumping around and neighing it's face off, trying to buck him off. My horse was a little wild but I liked it like this.

"Last one to the tree is a rotten Harpie egg!" I cried.

I galloped away, laughing. I turned around and saw Nico unsuccessfully trying to calm his horse down. Laughing harder, I galloped through the fields. The rush of the winds in my face, all the colors blending into each other, and the feeling, the feeling of absolute freedom made me want to soar. To fly off in the sky, riding my freedom.

I saw something black appear next to the tree. Out of the shadow came Nico and his horse.

"CHEATER!" I screamed but still hiccuping with joy. "NO SHADOW TRAVELING!"

My horse raced to the tree while I jumped off and landed smoothly next to Nico.

"I win! I win! I win! Nico's the winner!" he teased.

"Nico will be kicking the bucket if he doesn't shut up." I rolled my eyes while trying to hide my smile.

"Well, I'm smart enough to find loopholes." Nico said.

"Well, I-"

"Hello children."

Eurytion! Boys, always interrupting things. Typical.

"Yeah, yeah. Shut up." I waved him off.

Nico shook his head slightly.

"Well, I-," I started again.

"Children!"

I whirled around.

"What!?" I snapped.

Instead of 6' Eurytion there was a shortish ghost king with his arms cross.

"Hiiiiiiiii." I gave him a guilty smile.

Minos muttered something by "rude youth."

"Where have you been!?" Nico asked. "Where were you all these days!?"

"Busy." he replied simply.

"Busy!?" I said. "I cried my heart out when Bian-

"Do you care that Percy Jackson and his friends are about to die!?" Minos interjected.

My mouth snapped closed. We stared at him intently.

"Perseus Jackson and his little gang are going to meet an unfortunate end in the Labyrinth unless two tiny heroes step in and help." Minos said.

Perseus Jackson. He's one of the reason Bianca died. He was loved by Bianca probably more than Nico and I. He's stopped looking for us after a couple measley hours... But he's sweet, humble, brave, modest. He will do anything for him friends. He doesn't deserve to die. Neither does Annabth, Tyson, and Grover.

Nico and I exchanged looks.

"Lead us to him."

* * *

Stupid Minos. Self-centered Minos. Cruel Minos. Horrible Minos. Terrible Minos. Heartless Minos. Ugly Minos. I chanted in my head.

Because of him, I'm wrapped up in chains, probably trudging to my doom. All along his plan was to train us than use us to come back to life. I knew that guy was bad. B-A-D. Dang it, Nico. His puppy eyes are weirdly cute even though he looks so goth. (He destroyed my Happy Meal and Shamrock Shake when I called him emo.). I tripped on a stone sticking out the pathway and fell face forward into the gravel. I probably got twenty cuts on my face.

"Get your filthy demigod sssself up. And do it fassst." The dracenae hissed.

"I will get up as fast as I please." I retorted.

I made a big show getting slowly and sloowwllyyy brusted the dirt off my pants until every single little microscopic speck was gone. My reward was "gentle" knock to the head which made black spots appear in my vision.

"Hey!" Nico yelled. "Don't touch her!"

"Quiet, demigod." the Kelli girl snapped. "You don't want to bring out my ugly side."

I would of told her she's already ugly to begin with and it's not possible to get more ugly but my vision was swirling in the most dizzy way. I nodded slightly.

We arrived in front of colossal metal doors. A blue glowing delta was inscribed in steel about two inches above my head. I noticed Nico's hands tensed, to stay in place. A half-blood's touch. I stiffened my hands so they wouldn't force my hand on the delta. Kelli noticed our stone-like hands. She laughed.

"Foolish demigods. We have ways to command the Labyrinth." she produced a hand from her cheer leading shirt.

The hand looked like some chopped it off with a dull axe. Some pieces of dried blood was stuck to it.

Nico gasped. "Did you- demigod -cut hand?"

Kelli laughed but now it sounded like an evil cackle. "A demigod's touch is required. No one said it had to be a live demigod."

She place the hand on the door so it was covering the blue delta. The door hissed opened.

The dracenae pushed us in forcefully. I stumbled a bit and nearly fell. Uugh. The curses of having big feet. I better be tall. I steadied myself and looked up. Percy, Annabeth, Daedalus, and the Rachel girl from Hoover Dam were all staring at us.

"There you are, my old friend."

I forgot Minos was there. If he wasn't the king of Crete I would be convinced he would be an assassin. A very grudge holding assassin who has been hunting for vengeance from the same person for a couple thousand years.

"What is the meaning of this?"

I sighed. I knew very well what's going to unfold. Minos and Kelli will explain to Daedalus that he has been betrayed, a fight will break out, and Nico and I may or may not escape. I better make a plan. We're on a mountain. We could fly off using the wings and then... I noticed something glinting in the corner of the room.

There was a grandfather clock that was made entirely out of glass, showing off all its gears. It sort of reminded me of the old grandfather clock in the library room at home.

Library room? Home? Where did that come from? I dug my brain trying to find more useful memories. Nothing. Maybe if I took the grandfather click it would trigger more memories? No. I couldn't lug a giant clock across country and through battles. I wished it would magically transport to me and Nico's cozy alleyway.

Darkness shrouded the clock until it was completely covered. Then, the shadows along with the clock disappeared. I had the feeling a glass grandfather clock appeared in my alleyway scaring the hell out of some pigeons.

I focused on the strange bronze chair with the weird wires. Los Angeles, alleyway next to... The chair disappeared in the same fashion the grandfather clock did. I thought you can only shadow travel living things. Apparently you can do it with inanimate objects

I wonder if you can shadow travel-shadow things _to _me. I remembered the leather gloves I stole- I mean, borrowed a few weeks ago.

_Come to me._

I felt cold breeze surrounded my hands. I looked down. My hands were laid snuggly in the black leather gloves. I smiled. I'm surprised no one noticed a pair of fingerless gloves appeared on my handed. Everyone but Nico. Nico gaped at me.

_How did you do that? _He mouthed.

I grinned and mouthed _I'll tell you later._

He opened his mouth like to say 'tell me now!'

"-I think I'll have a wonderful snack!" Kelli turned into her true emposa form and pushed us down.

Nico and I crawled underneath a table with a battle roaring around us. Nico grabbed an oil lantern and smashed it against the ground. Glass flew everywhere but thankfully not towards us. He dripped some oil on his wrist and tried to squeeze out of his handcuffs. His hands didn't get out. He poured a little more oil on his wrist. At this rate, we'll get out of our shackles than the battle will be over and we'll be stuffed in new handcuffs.

"No time!" I said.

I focused on our cuffs.

To... Kelli's hands. Our shackles disappeared in a swirl of shadows. In the distance I heard Kelli shrieked in pain and Percy said something on the lines of "That was cool."

Thank you. I thought mentally.

Nico crawled out of the table with me trailing behind him.

All of a sudden, pain flared on my hands. It was like someone set my hands with Greek Fire. I was there on my hands and knees, rigid and paralyzed with pain. My body felt heavy. It was like it was screaming 'Coma Mode! Comma Mode! Get into Coma Mode!' My limbs gave out. My head slammed against the floor. Stop the pain. Please stop the pain. It hurts. It hurts so, so much. Tears welled my eyes. My vision turned fuzzy. The black dots in my eyes started getting bigger and bigger until I couldn't see anything. I felt my eyelids close. I heard voices gradually getting muffled. Everything got distant. Nico's screaming voice stood out of the other cries. Nico!

No. I commanded myself. You will NOT leave Nico fighting. You will NOT pass out. You WILL snap out of this and FIGHT.

Miraculously, it worked. The pain dimmed down. Tears dried up. My whole body felt like a 1,000 pound weight got lifted off my back. I blinked the black dots out my eyes until my vision was clear again.

I scrambled out under the table, still slightly dazed.

Minos was floating in the middle of the middle of the room, laughing with spirits of unfortunate Cretan warriors multiplying and solidifying around him.

"You have no power over me! I am lord of the spirits! The ghost king!"

"No." Nico voice rang with authority and echoed around the room. "I am."

Nico stabbed his sword through the floor like it was butter.

"Never!" Minos's form rippled like someone threw a rock into a pond. "I will not-"

The windows shattered, one by one. Strong winds blasted through the gap in the wall. The whole mountain shook. Nico's aura turned stronger, darker, more prominent. His eyes grew into a cold, mad black. They were practically glowing with raw power. A fissure opened in the stone floor. Minos and all his ghost buddies were sucked into the hole with a horrible, long, loud wail.

Sweat popped on Nico's forehead. If it was possible his skin turned a shade whiter and more clammier. Nico sunk to his knees.

"Nico!" I cried.

I hauled him to his feet and to Rachel. Rachel snatched a pair of wings off the wall and started fitting him while I fumbled out a square of ambrosia for him. I offer it to him.

"Thanks." he mumbled and took the piece.

Rachel grabbed me rather forcefully and stuffed me in a pair of wings. The fire in the workshop spread. Daedalus refused to come without Mrs. O'Leary. Even though he's been avoiding death for thousands of years, I couldn't help but admire him. Loyalty is a trait I like.

"None of us know how to fly!" Nico protested.

"Great time to find out." Percy said.

For a split second an image of Nico, Thalia, and I jumping out of Hoover Dam flashed in my head. If the wings don't work I could also depend on my sneakers.

I sprinted to the window, dripping Nico's hand.

"Here goes nothing." I murmured as I jumped out the window into the open sky.

**Since I haven't updated in a long time, I'll keep going.**

* * *

"Remind me never to fly after banishing a bunch of blood-thirsty ghosts." Nico groaned holding his stomach.

"We're demigods, Nico." I said. "It's going to happen again whether or not you like it."

"I don't like it." Nico stated.

"I noticed." I said looking at his paisley green face.

Nico and I stuffed our bronze wings in the trash can happily. A little girl dropped her mint and chip ice cream cone and told her mom that we were fat brown chicken. Kids. They really need to get their facts straight.

"The workshop moved." Annabeth said. "There's no telling where."

I turned around. Percy was looking through tourist binocular camera to look at the hill Daedalus's workshop was. Was. It vanished into thin air. No smoke. No glass shards. No fire. No mortals scratching their heads saying 'How that happen?'

"So what do we do now?" Percy asked. "How do we get back in the maze?"

Annabeth gazed at Pikes Pines for a while before answering.

"Maybe we can't. If Daedalus died...he said his life force was tied into the Labyrinth. The whole thing might've been destroyed. Maybe that would stop Luke's invasion."

I shuddered internally. It seemed like a horrible death. Getting crushed by 10 feet of solid cement, mud, and rocks a couple 1,000 feet below surface is a bad death even for traitors. They're not really traitors. They were never apart of demigods so they could never betray someone. Some people look at them like if they murdered their puppy while laughing. It's not their fault their parents were never honored.

"No." Nico burst into the conversation and effectively snapped me out of LaLa Land. "He isn't dead.

"How do you know that?" Percy questioned.

"I know when people die. It's this feeling I get, like a buzzing in my ears." he answered.

That's a lot of buzzing. About one person dies every five minutes of natural causes.

"It only happens when someone I know or heard of dies. I don't heard random buzzing every minute." Nico said looking at my expression. "Only when I'm emotional I hear I _all_ the deaths."

That explains that night of Bianca's death. Well, not death. The day we learned she died. Nico had his hands pressed over his ears like he wanted to smash his head.

"How about Grover and Tyson?" Percy asked.

Nico opened his mouth to say something but I beat him to it. "I don't know about Tyson, but Grover alive. For sure."

Annabeth gave me a quizzical look. "How do you know that?"

"I-I can't explain it. I just know he's alive." I said.

It was like a feeling I couldn't explain. I feeling deep in my gut saying 'That Grover boy is alive. That Grover boy is alive.'

"We need to get into town." Annabeth said, letting it slide. "Our chances will be better of finding an entrance to the Labyrinth. We have to make it back to camp before Luke and his army."

"We could-" Rachel began.

"No plane." I cut her off. "Let's just find a car."

Rachel was about to say something but she decided against it. She grimaced. "I'll take care how it."

"How?" Annabeth said.

"Just trust me."

Annabeth looked uneasy, but she nodded. "I'm going to go make an Iris-Message."

"I'll come with you." Nico said. "I'm hungry."

I was suddenly aware of my empty, rumbling stomach.

"Me too."

"I'll stick with Rachel, then." Percy said, earning a frown from Rachel. "Meet you in the parking lot."

Annabeth seemed upset but Percy didn't seem to notice. I looked between them. Annabeth, Rachel, and Percy. Oh... Love triangle. Sometimes I swear I'm in some dramatic war love story. Love triangles, war, traitors, and quests.

I followed Annabeth to the gift shop. Nico and I both inhaled turkey and cheese sandwiches we bought while Annabeth search for a prism. We wandered around looking at interesting nicknacks. Nico was in the Native American section and I was examining statues. Something caught my eye. It was so small it could be able to fit in a toddle's palm. It was a tiny willow tree standing on a patch of grass with rare flowers blooming at its trunk with a glowing sliver waterfall nearby, completed by a pond encasing the tiny island in water. Puny swans were littered here and there on the lake. The dew drops on the tree seemed to be made out of diamonds. Every detail was carved and painted for perfection. It was perfect. It was beautiful. It was familiar. Very familiar.

_Orchids, roses, tiger lilies, and snapdragons surrounded the willow tree. All of them glowed under the moon's radiance. The long green grass swayed in the soft breeze. Dew slid off the leaves of a tree, making quiet pitter patter sounds. The willow tree was in refuge of the small chunk of land in the middle of the pond. A waterfall nearby slowly tickled its precious sparkling clear water in the glowing silver lake. A golden bridge connected the world to the peaceful haven. The winds, the rustling of the leaves, the water trickling, all created a soft tune. A calm, slow melody. _

_Nearby, until the willow tree on a bench, a delicate-looking woman was leaned onto her husband's chest with their eyes closed peacefully. Both of their lips were curved in an angelic smile. His arm wrapped snugly over her shoulders. Her black shawl covered her white wool dress, part of her husband's suit, and acted as a blanket for her daughter who was sleeping while snoring softly and drooling slightly. Her small figure was curled up in a tiny ball. The woman sang__ a soft lullaby which matched the sound of the wild. Everything stood perfectly for this family. All of the plants and animals did everything in their power to make this perfect. Absolutely perfect... But it didn't last long. A shriek pierced through the soft atmosphere. The girl's eyes, along with the rest of the family's eyes, snapped open. Her skin turned a chalky white and her eyes shone with pure pain._

_"Mommy, its hurts!" The girl was crying._

_The mom's eyes widen._

_ "Oh no." she murmured. "It's starting."_

_The man looked at his daughter. _

_"Sweetie," he tried to sound calm for her sake. "Close your eyes, ignore the pain, and most importantly do. not. touch. anything. Please. Everything will be okay. Everything will be okay."__  
_

_The girl obeyed her father but she didn't respond. Not a tiny peep squeezed through mouth. Instead her entire body trembled. Suddenly her eyes flew back open. Green, silver, and black shadows oozed out of her tiny fists. _

_The image zoomed out until you could only see the outside of the willow tree and the lake. Sliver and pitch black shadows lashed out the tree. The moment the shadows touched something it turned black and sliver. The shadows swam through the lake transforming everything. Shadows spread all over the lake turning it a horrible black. In a matter of seconds the peaceful lake became hell on earth. _

"Hey. Are you okay?" Nico said.

I blinked.

"What?"

"Are. You. Okay?" Nico repeated slower.

His eyes were trained on me, filled to the rim with concern.

"I've been calling your name for a minute."

"Vision."

I explained every detail of what I saw. Nico looked troubled.

"Shadows are a big nono." he mumbled before he cleared his throat and spoke louder. "You should buy it. It's pretty."

"Obviously." I grinned.

Nico and I trolled to the buying counter.

"You certainly have a good eye," The salesman said. "But sadly you don't have the money."

"Who says I don't?" I said. "How much is it?"

He glanced at my dirt smudged face and my dirty ripped up clothes.

"2,000 dollars." he stated.

Wow. Souvenirs are that expensive these days?

"Who made this fine statue?" Nico asked politely.

"An Italian woman." he answered then scratched his bald head. "By the name of Rosa, I think."

"Is she still alive?" I asked eagerly.

"No. I know for sure she died seventy years ago."

My mom must have carved it for sure. I have to have it. No matter what.

* * *

Good 'ol Mist. Good 'ol Shadow Travel.

Nico, Annabeth, and I sauntered out the shop with my statue safely in our alleyway.

"The driver's ready when we are." Rachel announced.

I thought we were going to get a cheap broken down Taxi not a limo. I wonder how Rachel pulled it off. I mean, she can't snap her fingers ans say "Drop everything and give me and my friends I ride to who knows where!" Only Nico and I get to do that... Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Rachel Elizabeth DARE. Oh! No wonder! The Dare Enterprise.

Nico and I started scarfing down the food. There was no need to buy the turkey sandwiches. I know its mean but laughed internally at Percy obliviousness and Rachel flustered face while Percy pelted her with questions.

With my tummy full I was aware of my eyelids drooping. For the first time for a long time, I was comfortable, mildly happy, and full. I yawned and snuggly up against the pillow. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Sle-

"Get off the highway!"

I jerked up and my head clashed with Nico's chin. I rubbed my head. I realized my pillow disappeared.

"Where's my pillow?" I asked.

"I don't have your pillow! _You_ took my pillow!" Nico accused.

"What!?" I said.

"One second I was squeezing the life out of my pillow-"

"Serial pillow killer." I mumbled under my breath.

"-then all of a sudden you snatched my pillow and hit my chin!" Nico explained his side of the story. "Since when did you have such a hard head!?"

"Since you got a rock hard chin!" I retorted. "Now give me back my pillow!"

All I wanted was to curl up in a ball WITH MY PILLOW and fall asleep.

"No, YOU give me back MY pillow, you dum-"

"Enough!" Annabeth shouted. "There ARE NO pillows! You were using each other as a pillows. Just be quiet! We're getting out the car."

"Oh." Nico and I said embarrassed.

* * *

I kicked a stone out of my way. We were back in the Labyrinth, on our way to saving the world and perhaps meeting our untimely doom. Whoopteedoo. I was trailing behind Annaneth and Rachel who were talking each others ears off. Behind me was Percy and Nico who were talking about... um, life. I secretly eavesdropped on them.

"It's not easy, you know." Nico said after a long period of time. "Having only dead and Jaz for company. Knowing the only live person that will accept me is Jaz and the dead. The dead only respect me, and they only do it out of fear. Jaz knew me since I was a baby and before I turned into... this."

Half of me wanted to turn around and started yelling at Nico for thinking he's a monster. The other half knew better than telling Nico I was listening in on a private conversation.

"You could be accepted." Percy said. "You could have friends."

Yeah, wonder what people will think of that. The anti-social Ghost King and his partner in murder, Ms. Shadow-And-Plant-Person-Who-Is-Really-Really-Creepy-And-Her-Parent-Won't-Give-A-Damn-About-Her. I gritted my teeth, just thinking about those people judging us. Why I'll gut them alive. Just imagine their intestine spilling on the-

"What is it?" Percy asked after he rammed into Rachel.

I felt something deeply wrong about that tunnel. It just didn't feel right. It was too powerful. Too strange. Unnatural.

"Is that the way?" Annabeth said.

"No." Rachel looked nervous. "Not at all."

"Why are we stopping?" Percy asked.

Nico put up his hand. "Listen."

Eucalyptus trees. We're at Mount Othrys.

Percy volunteered to go much to Annabeth's dismay. I stood there playing slide with Nico. Annabeth kept beating Rachel at Chopsticks. Of course. She's a daughter of Athena. After 24 rounds of slide, Nico and I got fed up.

"Let's go!" I whined. "What if Percy's in Demigod Prison. We NEED to go see what's going on. Please?"

"Please?" Nico added in helpfully.

After five minutes of pure boredom, Annabeth gave in.

* * *

Going back to the palace gave me bad memories. I DO NOT want to hold the sky again. I saw Percy running around the corner, getting chased by... Luke?

Rachel ran forward and swung her blue hairbrush like a tennis racket. WHACK! The hairbrush nailed Luke right in his golden eye. Ha!

Girls Who Like To Smack The Titan Lord In The Face: 0002! Luke: 0000

Before I knew Percy dragged me out of my glee and out of the palace. The giant spire Nico summoned blocked the guards way so we could escape. Most of the front part of the entrance collapsed. I could just imagine Luke calling the insurance company. "Excuse me, this is the Titan Lord calling for insurance for my thousand years of old Greek castle because an eleven year old summoned a 20 feet spike and destroyed my front door. Oh, I would also like a pizza with pepperoni and I'm-So-Evil on it."

I laughed despite my lungs were dying from no oxygen.

"I can't go any farther." Rachel gasped.

Annabeth plopped down on the hard floor, with her sobs echoing the cavern. Nico and Percy striked up a conversation, which this time I didn't listen in on. I unsteadily sat down and tried to catch my breath. For a while it was quiet. Of course, it didn't stay that way. Percy and Annabeth started a screaming match before Nico and Rachel calmed them down. It was probably personal so I but in.

"Back to New York. Rachel can you-" Percy froze and stared at the ground.

I followed his gaze. There was a Rasta cap with a giant muddy footprint stamped on it, in middle on the floor. Two footprints: large and hooves was leading off the left. Grover and Tyson. Percy knelt down and picked up the cap.

"We have to follow them." Percy said. "They went that way. It must have been recent."

"What about Camp-Half Blood?" Nico inquired. "There's no time."

"They're our friends." Annabath said. "We need to find them."

Nico grumbled in response and followed Annabeth down the tunnel.

It felted pretty nice to feel the mud squishing through my toes again. Slipping and sliding down the tunnel was much, much funner than walking. Finally, we reached our destination. We were in a huge cavern with an underground river. I sucked in a mouthful of fresh air. This is a better change from the fumes of Los Angeles.

Tyson was sitting at the banks of an underground river with an unconscious Grover cradled in his lap. I was pretty sure Grover wasn't dead so I didn't fuss over him. I kneeled down the banks if the river and stared at the muddy water. I didn't dare touch it in case I was carrying some dangerous germs. I marveled at the river. It's so untouched, so unpolluted. I smiles. At least some places on Earth is still preserved. I got up, not bothering to wipe the dirt off my pants, and walked back to the group.

Percy was introducing Grover and Tyson to Rachel. I snickered. Annabeth's nostrils were flaring like a fire-breathing dragon ready to blow fire onto Rachel and Grover, blasting them to ashes.

After we hoisted Grover to his feet, we wandered in to a cave, Carlsbad according t Annabeth. I felt all my energy rebuild faster than a plummeting meteor. All my tireness wore away. I think grew a couple of millimeters. I felt strong. Strong as a lion. Strong enough to punch down a titanium wall.

We stepped into the cave.

"Wow." Rachel said.

Wow indeed. Everything was beautiful. All sorts of flowers I've been dying to see but never got the chance, animals that are suppose to be extinct, and oh my gosh the smell. It was like a fresh summer day. I grinned, showing off all my crooked teeth. I didn't care what people thought. I felt so good knowing ARE wild places left. A Sabertooth Lion stalked up to me. At first I thought it was going to rip me up to shreds and eat me but instead it laid its head under my hand. I bent down and rubbed its head. Aw, its such a sweetheart. I heard Grover whimper with excitement.

I turned around. There was a man-I mean, satyr laying on a bed with animals surrounding him. He smiled a smile so warm, so pure the animals around him swooned a little bit. I swear, he looked right at me, staring into my soul. Dark green eyes met sky blue.

"Welcome home. Welcome home, my precious daughter."


	20. Father

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS**

**AN: I'm sorry for the boring chapter. This is more like the information chapter. Anyways, please, please review. Reviews make people's day! :)**

** -CookiesCream333**

_Previously... **In Chapter 21**_

_Dark green eyes met sky blue._

_"Welcome home. Welcome home my precious daughter."_

**Jaz's POV**

I felt my heart freeze. What!? I gaped at him. No. No way. I turned around and expected someone else to run forward and yell "DADDY!"

That someone would have long golden hair like rays of sunshine. That person would have caring, bubbly personality. That someone would have beautiful baby blue eyes that would be the splitting image of the sky. That person would be WONDERFUL and PERFECT in every way. I'm NOT that person. I have DARK green eyes not BLUE. My hair is DARK brown. I'm a SARCASTIC, MYSTERIOUS person. Most of all I'm NOT a daughter of Pan.

"M-me?" I stammered.

I cursed myself for looking like a totally fool in front of my father.

He nodded silently.

"May my daughter and I have a moment." he addressed the others.

"O-of c-course my lord." Grover bowed so deeply his horns scraped the ground.

Everyone backed away to give us space. In the corner of my eye I could see Nico mouthing the words '_Jaz is a daughter of Pan!?' _over and over.

My oh gosh, I am. I'm a daughter of Pan. I can barely breathe.

"My daughter." he whispered and stared at me like if he wanted to absorbed every detail of my hideous face. "My beautiful angel finally came."

I guess I should have been flattered or even honored that my father called me a beautiful angel but when the shock wore away I didn't feel anything but anger.

"Beautiful angel?" I was surprised how deathly calm I sounded even though my words and I was very, very angry. "I never saw you or any signs of you. Not when I needed comfort. Not when I needed help. Not when I cried my heart out. Never. You don't have the right to call me your daughter or call yourself my father."

At least my fath- Pan had the decency to look guilty.

"The Ancient Laws forbid me to intervene in your life. Why the Fates themselves told me.."

"Giving birth is pretty intervening, right?" I said.

He ignored my sly comment like he ignored me for the past 81 years. "You have a very- how do I say this- _interesting _life. An interesting life concerning your parentage."

I scoffed. "Its _so _special having a satyr for a dad."

"Not concerning me. Concerning your-" he paused. "-_mother."_

"She's a mortal." I stated.

"Yes." he said "And no. She's a mortal. She's goddess."

"So she a demigod."

"Not exactly." he said.

"Enough of the riddles!" I snapped which isn't probably the wisest thing to do with a god. "I have enough mysteries to deal with! Just tell me a straight answer!"

"Just like your mother." he mumbled before he spoke up. "Your mother is a mortal-"

"Is that so hard to say?" I murmured.

"-and your our _other _mother is a goddess."

Yeah, I have two mothers. Wait what!? Something Luke and Lucille said popped into my head. A forbidden word that would describe me for the rest of my life. _Merge. _My throat turned dry. Beads of sweat popped up on my head. The world seemed to tip. Oh my Gods.

"Do I have a mortal father?" I croaked.

"Yes."

I have four parents. I'm a Merge. I am basically carrying around a flashing neon board saying 'Gods, Goddess, monsters kill me! Kill me!'

"Who are my mortal parents?"

"Italian." he answered.

I rolled my eyes. How can I be related to this guy? "I know that. What I mean is what are their names?"

"Rosa and Antonino di Piante."

I fired another question. "What happened to them?"

Natural death. Natural death. Pleeeaase natural death. I chanted in my head.

"They died."

No duh.

"HOW did they die?"

Pan looked troubled. "Not a natural death, I assure you. You will remember when your memories return."

"My memories?" I gasped. "Do you know what happened to them?"

"Hades took them." He replied simply like he was saying he wanted a cheese pizza.

Fury built up in my chest. All the times I visited Hades and he didn't mention anything about them. He didn't even know the name of the girl he took memories away from!

"Hades!?" I growled. "I can't believe that slimy-"

"Now, now." Pan said. "He did you a favor."

"A favor!? Why in the world-" He cut me off again.

"You had a bad past. If you carried those memories through such a young age you would have gone insane." he said. "Don't fret, they'll come back in one, two years give or take."

I guess you have to give someone's memories back after 74 years. After a long period of silence I spoke up.

"Who's my godly mom?" I deserved to know.

Pan stayed silent. He had a long worried, troubled look etched on his face. He opened his mouth. I leaned forward. "Names have power."

I huffed. That's _exactly _the answer I'm looking for.

"Can you describe her?"

"She has black hair." We're getting no where.

"You just named 80 percent of the goddess population. Tell me... Tell me about her personality." I said.

"She's queenly."

I nodded.

"She's really pretty." Pan had a dreamy look on his face.

Men.

"Pretty isn't a trait." I stated but he ignored me.

"She's not the best mother."

"Mmhm." I sort of noticed her absence for 81 years of my life and counting.

"She's...intimidating."

"You had a child with someone you thought was scary." I stared at Pan.

"Well, yes. Most of the time she's scary but I felt attracted to her. Opposites attract. Anyways I knew when it's your turn you won't fade because-"

"My turn? Fade?" I interrupted.

"Yes. Yes." He said impatiently. "When you turn eighteen you'll turn into the Goddess of the Wild."

What!?

"Since there's not many wild places you might fade so you'll also inherit one of your mother's domain or someone related to her domain. Let's say your just a goddess of the Wild, you'll fade. If you're a goddess of the Wild AND um.. let's say stars then you won't fade."

"So..." The idea of me being a goddess makes me feel sick. "I'm turning into a goddess... When I'm eighteen."

"If you survive." Pan added helpfully.

"If I survive."

It's so silent. I'm trying to grasp the concept that I'm going to spend eternity on Earth or Olympus being stuck-up, sending my children on quests the very second I meet them. An image of me sitting lazily on a jeweled throne eating grapes with a I'm-So-Important look plastered on my unreal face flashes into my mind. I feel like I'm going to throw up.

"There's going to be challenges though." Pan broke the silence. "Some gods and monsters won't want you to become goddess. They will not stop at any cost to kill you. That doesn't even include Kronos wanting you in his army or your curse or your foul demigod smell-"

I had a weird urge to sniff my armpit.

"-or the hardships you're going to be going through." Pan took a breath. "To summarize everything, there's an 90 percent chance that you're going to die."

I stared at him.

"Wait, what curse?"

"Your hands... They hurt, right?" Pan raised his eyebrow.

Like hell.

"A lot." I said the politer way.

"When Merges are born they slowly go through godly growth spurts." He looked at me carefully. "Overtime their blood turns into ichor. Their power will grow. You hurt because you're changing. You usually start stabs of pain in your hands daily at age ten or eleven. Slowly you'll get longer, burning growth spurt. It really starts to hurt at age thirteen or fourteen. If someone touches you in this state they will feel your pain, too. These spurts will stop when you're a goddess. If all the changes happens at once you'll explode-"

I rubbed my arm.

"-in the most painful way. That's part of the reason your hands hurt."

"Part?" I echoed.

"Yes." Pan paused. "Zeus cursed every Merge that was born to punish their parents. He cursed them with pain. Everytime they have a godly growth spurt they will feel ten times the pain. That's a lot of pain."

"I noticed."

It was silent for a moment.

"Wait a second, can't you just cut off your hands or take painkillers so you don't hurt?"

Pan looked at me like I was asking what's 2+2. "The pain will relocate to somewhere else, like your face."

I unconsciously touched my face,

"Now take this," he handed me bottle of silvery blue stuff. "Apply every week on the dot, not a second late. I'll give you the formula. Soak your hands in it for 20 secon-"

"Wait hold up. What's is this for?" I shook the bottle, listening to the sloshing in the empty spaces.

"It helps with the increasing pain on your hands. This will lower the pain a bit and will prevent you from dying during the spurts." he said.

"Oh."

"To make it you just need water, nectar, Phoenix feather, and a spell."

Oh, that's easy. Water, nectar, Phoenix feather. PHOENIX FEATHER!?

"One tiny question," I said. "Where am I going to get a Phoenix Feather!?"

This guy just expects me to go fetch a Phoenix feather every week!? Sometime about him just makes me tick. Why is he so calm about everything? It's like I'm the hundredth person he's explained this to. This is my life we're talking about! It's important! Show some concern!

Pan reached under his bed. He produced an old leather bound book that read _Magic 101 _in Ancient Greek and two eggs the size of bottle caps. The first egg was golden with red swirls and black dots. The other one was pure black.

"Are-are they..." The words seemed to refuse to come out my mouth.

"Yes, Phoenix eggs." he confirmed as he handed them over. "Phoenix eggs are indestructible. You can drop them off Olympus and they're still intact."

Intact. That's a funny word.

"Take care of them. Take care of yourself. I know I haven't been a good father but I swear on River Styx-"

Thunder boomed.

"-that I watched over you and occasionally in times of need, I spoke advice to your subconscious. I hope you know that when I'm gone."

"Gone?" It came out like a whisper.

"I'm fading." He confessed.

"But-but... Grover spent his whole life searching for you. Not to mention the other billions satyr lost their life to 'awaken' you. Grover needs you." _I just found out I finally have a father. I need_ you. "You're the God of the Wild!"

He smiled at me gently before replying in a soft, sweet tone. "No, you are. You're going to be the new Goddess of the Wild."

Before I could respond Pan waved his hand and shouted in a weak voice. "You may return!"

Grover practically teleported back. One second he was petting a Zebra Turtle then he was a blur and BAM! he was right next to me.

"Yes, My lord?" Once again, Grover bowed so deeply, I worried for the safety for his horns.

Pan took turns addressing everyone. Everyone but Nico. Things are left unsaid aren't left unheard.

"Thank you, my satyr. My final blessing." He looked at me. "I love you, darling."

"I-I love you, too P-Dad. I love you, too Dad."

Dad closed his eyes, a peaceful smile rested on his lips. His form dissolved. White whisps of godly energy flew straight into our mouths. I think Grover and I got a little (a lot) more than the others.

There was a moment of silence of the God of the Wild, Pan. A moment of silences of Pan, my father.

* * *

"Daughter of Pan." Nico grinned. "That sounds so funny."

We were flying above New York on the Pegasus Percy summoned. As soon as we got out of the Labyrinth and into a deserted alleyway so we won't freak out mortals, we saddled our respective horses. Of course, Rachel didn't come. I caught Annabeth sneaking glances at Rachel and Percy. Jealous!

"Yeah." I replied, rolling my eyes.

"So what did Little Saucepan and Big Fry Pan clang about?"

"What!?" Did that really come out of his mouth. "What's a 'Little Saucepan' and-"

"You see," Nico began. "Pan is Big Fry Pan because, you know, Pan and Pan? Also he's the dad so Big Fry Pan. You're the little daughter person-"

I glared at him.

"-and you're Pan's daughter so your Little Saucepan. And clang is talking. Get it?"

"I didn't get a single word you said." I said. "And you shouldn't go around making fun of the dead. Especially the GODLY dead. I thought you out of all people will know that, son of HADES."

Nico sighed. "Fine, I'll talking in YOUR language." Nico cleared his voice and began speaking in an unrealistic high pitched voice. "OMIGOD!? TellmetheDEETS! WhatdidYOUandyouroldmanGOSSIPabout!? *fake squeal* DidyouseehisHOOVES!? ItwasLIKEsolastCENTURY!"

I stared at Nico. "What. In. The. World. Was. That?"

"I was speaking," Nico looked off into the sky dramatically. "THE GIRL LANGUAGE."

I shoved him. It wasn't a smart move since we were a couple hundred feet in the air. Nico grabbed his horse's mane for balance. It neighed indignantly and snorted.

"You're weird." I said.

"Weird means special." Nico countered.

"Special means crazy." I retorted.

"Well, all demigods are crazy!"

"Touché."

We flew in silence for a bit.

"You didn't answer me." Nico said.

"Huh?" I replied smartly.

"What did you and Pan talk about?" Nico said, his eyebrows scrunching up. "You looked really... Um, upset."

I glance at our pegasus and Annabeth who were pretending not to listening. I had a feeling pegasus like to gossip. I told Nico everything... In Italian.

Nico stared at me...disappointedly?

"What?" I said in Italian.

"You're going to live forever." he stated bluntly. 

"Yeah. So?" 

He looked me straight in the eyes. "I'm not."

_"You know, Nico?" I giggled._

_"What?" he laughed._

_"We'll be best friends forever. I'll spend my _**whole **_life with you. Best friends. Forever and forever."_

I'll live forever. Nico will die.


	21. End of the Maze

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS!**

**AN: Hi! I would like to say I'm alive. Seriously, 'Are you alive?' Are those are the best PMs you could think of? It sort of disapoints me that only a few people cared about my writing. I apoligize for the bad writing, I'm busy with my new _surpises. _Heh. Heh.**

**Jaz's POV**

"Do you want to come to the party?"

Someone wants ME to come to a party!?

I was talking to Nellie, an over enthusiastic cloud nymph who bombarded me with questions the second the pegasi touched down in Camp Half-Blood. She fired one question after another until she go bored. Instead of letting me go, Nellie started yammering about her day and her life story. Gods, this girl never stops talking does she? I was about to scream after she described another "cute" satyr when she sprang me with the party question.

"Me!?" I gasped.

"Yes you, silly. 6 months ago you, like, looked like a princess. Now... Not, like, so much. We need to, like, restore the new, like, Queen of the Wild to her, like, glory!" Nellie shouted.

"Quiet down!" I hissed. "You want other people to know!? Wait, how do you know?"

"Like, OMG. I could totes smell the, like, godly scent, like, oozing off you. Hon, everyone can, like, smell it." she said.

"Not everyone!" I screamed-whispered, getting more and more anger at every 'like' she said. "Keep it down! Do you WANT monsters, gods, and demigods hunting m-"

"OVER HERE, HON!" Nellie shrieked.

Nico trudged over to us with a bored expression plastered on his face.

"Hey."

"Do you want to come to a party!?" Nellie asked.

The bored expression was immediately wiped off his face. "Party!? There's going to be a war! Shouldn't you be preparing for the battle!? There might not be anyone left to party with!"

"Might." Nellie said. "If I don't dance 24/7 I'll die!"

To prove her point she started doing the salsa.

"If you change your mind, go to the Aphrodite cabin and tell them code FLYING CHICKEN UNICORNS!" she yelled as she salsaed into the woods.

Nico looked at me, raising his eyebrow. "Flying chicken unicorns?"

"Some nymphs are sane. Some aren't."

* * *

I sat on a tree stump, sharpening my dagger with a rock. Nico sat on the other half, slashing the ground with his Stygian Iron sword.

6 months ago I would be like 'Yay! We're going to be in a war!' I was so childish. This is real life. People WILL die.

I glanced at Nico. His expression was unreadable to most people but I could read him like a book. The way he kept on clenching the hilt of his Stygian sword meant he was nervous. He had the right to be nervous. He could die any second. My hands ached. I turned my attention on the entrance of the Labyrinth.

Any moment blood-thristy monsters would come streaming out. Memories flooded back. Whips. Screams. Laughter. I suppressed the images. Not here. Not now.

But the cold chills still clung to my back. I closed my eyes. My sixth sense was acting up. I felt it. Something would go terribly wrong. Very, very wrong. Something about melting. I stopped breathing for a second. My eyes flew open. Someone's going to die. I know its a war and of course someone's going to die no matter but I could shake the feeling that it was important. Someone's going to die. Someone's going to die. Someone's going to-

"Hey."

Out of pure instincts I tackled the person to the ground and raised my knife so it barely touched their nose. For support, Nico stood by me with his sword raised.

Beckendorf.

"Hello to you too." he grinned.

Beckendorf was still the same. Still tan, muscly, happy, and a big grin you could smack off his face.

"Oh, hi."

I got off him and help him get up.

"Oh, hi?" he said. "After 6 months of worrying I get an 'Oh, hi?"

"You worried about us?" Nico sounded genuinely curious.

"Of course! Silena was a big ball of worry! Travis and Connor really miss their pranking buddies and siblings." He looked at me. "While we're at it, who's your godly parent?"

"Ummm..." I shifted my feet uncomfortably.

"Ooohh." he said. "You don't know who your parent is. Don't worry, kid, they'll get around to it."

He patted my back so hard, I nearly fell over.

"Don't touch me!" I snapped.

He looked sort of hurt and a little bit surprised.

We stood there in awkward silence for a second while my hands started to sting.

"You guys don't look so...healthly." Beckendorf commented.

"That's what happens when you're left to fend for yourself on the streets for almost a year." Nico mumbled but I knew Beckendorf could hear him.

I sent Nico a sharp jab to the rib with my elbow, earning a large "Ow."

Beckendorf opened his mouth to say something but the army burst out the Labyrinth. Big bad uglies came pouring out roaring battle cries.

"Fire!" Beckendorf yelled.

Flaming boulders (Nico suggested the fire part) streaked across the sky like comets catching the giants.

I grabbed my knives and charged.

I don't know how many, but I stabbed every enemy in my way to dust with Nico besides me. Except the demigod traitors. I stayed clear of them. Even though they were enemies I couldn't seem to kill a human being. A real live human being with a soul. My hands started burn.

"Nico!"

I turned around. Percy was pointing to a dracaenae who was slithering down the dirt path towards Camp. Nico got the message. He took a deep breath and raised his sword.

"Serve me."

The dead popped out the ground faster than a Jack-In-The-Box. I never seen Nico summon so many dead people.

I resumed hacking monsters, knowing Nico will be alright. Soon, I was covered head to toe in so much monster dust it was insane. I was like a big yellow snowman. For a fleeting second, monsters stopped attacking me, leaving me time to breathe. A thought flashed through my mind.

_Where's Nico?_

Yeah, yeah. I was being a bad friend for not noticing my best friend being missing during one of the biggest battles ever.

Through the crowd, I saw Nico was passed out with exhaustion. The hoard of monsters shifted, blocking off the sight of Nico. I rushed towards him. It seemed like the Fates were against me. Everyone was in my way. Monsters started flying towards me like they were metal and I was a magnet, flying boulders landed right in front of me, my hands burned like crazy, and I kept on tripping and stumbling on the bumpy terrain.

After slicing the last hellhound in my way, I finally saw Nico. Unfortunately he wasn't along. Looming over his unconscious form was a guy twice as big as me and Nico combined. The guy raised his sword over Nico.

I don't know what happened to me. My vision turned blurry and red with anger. I couldn't feel my body. I felt like a giant orb of angry energy. Before I knew what was going on, I pinned the guy to a tree.

"How dare you try to kill Nico!" I screamed.

I didn't even realize I was the one who said it until a couple seconds later.

The guy didn't even bother to respond. He smacked my face hard with his blade. Not the flat side of his blade, the sharp side.

Both my hands and head was exploding with agony. My left cheek and eye left like it was on fire. Anger and pain. I didn't feel anything but anger and pain. It clouded my vision with red, it filled my ears until I could barely hear anything.

I roared with anger.

I slashed him in the thigh, leaving a deep, long wound. He cried out. Usually I wasn't one for violence but I was filled with so much rage. Rage I had to get rid of. Rage I had to get rid on him.

I slashed, kicked, punched, clawed. I used every way I knew to make him suffer. Instead of the anger subsiding, it got worse and worse. I slowly stopped feeling pity for the guy. I stabbed him more and more ferociously then the last time.

My vision started to clear.

What's a giant tomato doing in front of me? I blinked. It was the guy. He was covered in blood. Not mine but his. His arm was just hanged off his shoulder by a tiny piece of flesh. My back-up dagger was lodged in his thigh. His nose was broken and crimson blood was dribbling out of his mouth. For a second, I stopped attacking, staring at the guy. Did I really do that?

He took the chance and stabbed my right foot, making drop my weapon in surprise. His sword (the flat end, thankfully) hit my knee so hard I fell backwards on my butt. I think he was aiming for my thigh but when your arm is practically falling out of its socket you have pretty bad aim. The guy ripped my canteen of nectar off my belt and poured most of it down his throat. He threw the canteen behind his shoulder and wiped his mouth sloppily on his bloody sleeve.

I tried to get up, but the second I put pressure on my foot it roared with pain. I fell down again with a loud THUD!

Smoke curled off of the guy's clothes from overdosing the godly drink. The nectar was barely keeping him alive. His eyes fixed on me like wolves. Very, very vengeful wolves.

"Ten years of training." his voice was incredibly raspy. "Ten years of training under my belt and I almost get pulverized by an eight year old."

Eight!? I'm eleven!

My hand hovered over the place my daggers are suppose to be at. My main dagger was 10 feet away and my back-up was stuck in the guy's thigh. I was weaponless in a war with a not-so-happy guy hovering over me who wouldn't wait a heart beat to kill me.

"ALMOST. You're going to pay, little girl."

He brandished his sword, aiming at the dead center of my chest. This time I knew he wouldn't miss.

I did the one thing I could do. I bit him. My teeth sunk in his leg, drawing blood. The wet salty taste entered my mouth. He screamed and tumbled over. I lunged for his sword. Unfortunately I grabbed the blade. Wincing in pain, I tried to pull the sword away from him. He pulled the hilt and the blade dug into my hand. Tears clouded my vision. I was feeling twice the pain I felt earlier. The normal stinging and the cut was almost unbearable. It hurt so, so, so much. I pulled the sword harder in determination.

We grappled for the sword on the ground, its blade digging into my hand. He pulled the hilt while I pulled the blade. DING! Idea! I let go. The sword flew backwards, over the guy's head and out of both of our hands. It landed a few feet away. For a second we sat there on the ground staring at each other at each other. He got up and towards the sword. I tried to the same but the second I leaned on my right foot I crumbled to my feet, my foot exploding with pain. I knew if I tried to crawl to the sword, the guy would reach it before I did. Using a different technique, I leap forward using my knees. I wrapped my arms around the guy's legs. He fell to the ground. I scrambled to the sword in a mad rush, my knees banging against the ground as I ran/crawled. The sword was a few inches from my grasp. I extended my arm. My fingertips were grazing the sword's smooth hilt.

All of a sudden, the guy lifted me off the ground, slammed me against a tree, and placed his hands on my neck, choking me.

His bloody angry eyes bore into mine. "When you reach the Underworld you're going to regret the day you nearly killed Keith Okar!"

Keith squeezed my neck harder. My mouth opened and closed like a fish, trying to breathe but no avail. I was conscious was my heart's thumping growing more prominent and slower. My lungs were burning from lack of oxygen. My hands were 95 percent of my pain. They felt like they were being dipped in boiling oil. The black dots in my eyes slowly got bigger and bigger blocking my vision. An image of my tombstone flashed in my mind.

Jazmine di Piante

May 17, 1924 - September 2008

Died From Asphyxiation

Survived By Her Best Friend,

A Camp Filled With Her Relatives,

And A Bunch Of Gods

_Riposare In Pace_

The thought only powered me. I wriggled my hands out from behind my back and slapped him. He let go of me, howling in pain.

I dropped to the floor, gasping for air. My lungs felt good to be deprived from oxygen. My vision cleared up enough so I could finally see but it was still a little hazy. I know what people who lose their glasses feel like now.

My hands on the other hand (haha) felt like they were getting burned off. Every step/crawl I took sent a searing pain shooting up and down my hands. I nearly blacked out from the 10 feet trip to Keith.

Keith was thrashing on the ground, yelling. My slaps hurt that bad?

As I got closer, it looked like a little mini fire was firming on his face.

_He's such a HOTHEAD. _I thought jokingly but I felt a little panicky.

Finally I was next to him. My handprint was burning through his lower right cheek. There was a tiny fire burning that area of his face away. Weirdly, besides that part, the rest up his face wasn't burning off. My handprint burned and burned and burned and burned.

Keith screamed. He screamed screams laced of pain. Screams that will haunt my nightmares. My handprint burned through his flesh until it reached his skull. His whole face looked normal except the large patch of flesh that was missing. That area was shriveled up and tinged with black and green.

He stopped thrashing and slumped on the ground, not moving. His brown-black eyes were unfocused and glazed over. He stopped breathing.

An electrifying realization coursed through my body.

I killed him.

...

It felt like I couldn't breathe again. My heart thumped at an unhealthly rate. The world seemed to be spinning and my head felt like it was replaced with a dumbbell. Shock and pain mixed. My injuries, minor and major, started taking its toll. Even the tiniest scratch from a hellhound stung crazily. Just imagine what the major injuries felt like. I collapsed on the ground and started to gasp for air.

"Help." I whispered.

Plants emerged from the forest with a dryad at the front of the crowd.

"What is your command?" She said.

"Heal me. Help others. Destroy enemies. Pro-" I struggled to bring more oxygen into my lungs. "Protect Nico."

I saw plants, animals, and nymphs screaming battle cries and charging the enemies as I blacked out.


	22. AN

AN: I reread my story and it's really, really bad. I was thinking: Did I really write this? I decided to rewrite the story of Jazmine di Piante into a new story called Love & Death. Thank you.


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